Tesla expands driverless robotaxi service to all of Austin

Tesla has expanded its driverless ride-hailing service to cover the entire Austin metropolitan area, a significant milestone for its autonomous vehicle ambitions. The company confirmed the expansion of its "unsupervised" robotaxi service, which no longer requires human safety drivers, beyond its previous operating zone in South Austin.

The move is part of a strategic shift by Chief Executive Elon Musk to focus the company on artificial intelligence and robotics. Expanding the robotaxi service and increasing adoption of its Full Self-Driving software are central to this new growth strategy. The company announced the expansion in a post on the social media platform X.

Despite the larger service area, the practical availability of rides remains limited. Data indicates Tesla currently has approximately 20 active unsupervised vehicles serving the expanded Austin metro region. Earlier reports from city officials suggested the company has roughly 50 vehicles operating in Austin, though this figure may include vehicles in various stages of deployment. In contrast, competitor Waymo operates several hundred vehicles in the same area.

Customers in Austin have sometimes experienced wait...