Happy Monday folks!
Tesla’s robotaxi finally hit the streets on Sunday as the company deployed its first paid autonomous rides with a small fleet of driverless Model Y SUVs.
The service operates within a limited geofence in South Austin, charging $4.20 a ride, with access granted through select invites.
Each vehicle includes a Tesla-trained monitor in the front seat — not driving, just on standby — backed by remote operators if necessary. Unlike Waymo, Tesla skips lidar, relying on cameras and neural networks to navigate city streets. This is Tesla’s first real test of its autonomous vision.
The rollout generated significant buzz on social, with fans praising the innovative experience.
One rider writes,
Did 11 Tesla Robotaxi rides today all around Austin, with zero issues at all. Smooth as butter.
I am so grateful to the Tesla AI team for the invite, you all did such an incredible job. History has been made.
Robotaxi is here, and it’s amazing. What a day. Can’t wait for more!
Scaling beyond controlled zones, earning regulatory trust, and catching up to Waymo’s multi-city footprint won’t happen overnight.
Tesla plans to roll out a purpose-built Cybercab in 2026 and seeks to allow owners to add their vehicles to the fleet, turning idle cars into robotaxis (ht Airbnb).
Widespread deployment will likely take years. Time will tell if Tesla can deliver.
Let The Charts Speak
$TSLA is up +1.5% pre-market as the stock attempts to break free of its tight, 2-week range. If the stock breaks above $335, the path of least resistance appears higher.
Here’s the daily chart.
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Godspeed - Rosebee