Tesla has been real-world testing driverless Model Y’s in Austin, Texas for a few weeks, but on Tuesday one was seen operating on South Congress Avenue without a person in the driver’s seat, making it the first publicly spotted Tesla robotaxi.
The sighting suggests Tesla is entering the next stage of development for its autonomous ride-hailing plans. The test vehicle is a Model Y equipped with the company’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software and ‘Robotaxi’ logo on the side of the vehicle.
While this is the first sighting, there has been, and will continue to be testing to ensure a safe rollout, according to Srihari Sampathkumar, an AI engineer at Tesla, who posted on X saying :
“A tremendous amount of testing is underway to ensure a safe and slow rollout in the beginning. The future is going to be wild.”
The appearance of the new “Robotaxi” logo and wordmark could indicate that Tesla is moving closer to offering a branded autonomous service. However, the company has not yet announced any official timeline for commercial availability or public use. An unofficial report suggested a June 12 launch, just two days away.
While the vehicle observed in Austin appears to be operating without a human driver onboard, it is not yet clear whether a remote operator or supervisor is involved behind the scenes. Tesla has not commented publicly on the specific nature or scope of the test.
The company has stated in the past that any rollout of fully autonomous vehicles would be cautious and deliberate, emphasizing safety as a top priority.
