Texas, Aug 29 (V7N) — Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed ambitious plans for the company’s expanding robotaxi service, stating that driverless taxis could be available to half the U.S. population by the end of the year.
 
In June, Tesla piloted a limited robotaxi service in Austin, Texas. The trial, launched on June 22, is invite-only and currently restricted to certain residents, such as social media personalities. It operates within a geofenced area in South Austin with roughly 10–20 Model Y vehicles, each monitored by a human safety attendant seated in the front passenger seat .
 
Musk’s projection of rapid nationwide expansion reflects Tesla’s strategy of scaling quickly using a minimal sensor setup—primarily relying on cameras and artificial intelligence, rather than the high-definition mapping systems employed by rivals . He envisions a future where millions of Teslas operate autonomously by 2026 .
 
By contrast, Alphabet’s Waymo has adopted a more incremental, safety-first rollout. Currently serving cities like Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin, Waymo brings in around 250,000 paid robotaxi rides per week . The disparity in approaches highlights the contrasting philosophies at play: Tesla’s rapid deregulated scaling versus Waymo's cautious, map-intensive deployment.
 
Tesla’s aggressive timeline raises both excitement and concern among industry experts and regulators alike, particularly regarding consistency in safety standards and regulatory clearance as services expand to new cities.
 
END/WD/SMA/