Tesla Robotaxis are finally here, but you’ll need an invite to catch a ride. Here’s why

Tesla’s long-promised leap into the world of fully autonomous ride-hailing appears to finally be taking its first concrete steps—albeit with caution. The company is reportedly preparing to unveil its Robotaxi program in June, but instead of launching a sweeping public rollout, the initial phase will be limited, experimental, and strictly invite-only.

A tightly controlled launch in Austin

A report by Carscoop stated that Morgan Stanley’s automotive analyst Adam Jonas, Tesla has greenlit the project in Austin, Texas, but the pilot phase will be remarkably modest. Speaking after a meeting with the EV giant, Jonas revealed that the starting fleet will comprise only 10 to 20 vehicles. These Robotaxis will drive on public roads, but they will probably only be used by a limited audience - most likely insiders, early adopters, or company representatives.

Although this more cautious approach may be disheartening compared to the lofty ideals Elon Musk has previously proposed, it actually serves to bolster the idea Tesla is now ready to move forward from a conservative vantage point. Given the potential risks and scrutiny around self-driving technology, Tesla appears to be emphasizing safety over spectacle. Jonas noted the presence of extensive teleoperations infrastructure—remote human operators ready to take control if needed—to ensure nothing is left to chance.

Not a revolution—yet

What’s most striking is how similar this initial rollout sounds to Tesla’s existing programs in cities like Austin and San Francisco. In those markets, Tesla has already deployed vehicles in ride-hailing trials, albeit with a human driver on standby. The only real change here is that human oversight may now be coming remotely, rather than from inside the car.

Tesla's Ground Truth Machine—a high-tech mapping system using lidar and radar—is actively charting the streets of Austin to prepare for this next phase. It’s an ambitious piece of the puzzle that aims to help Tesla cars “see" and understand the world more accurately than ever before.

Tesla's careful method to deploy Robotaxis indicates that the company understands the risks involved. Restricting the fleet size, maintaining remote oversight, and orchestrating a "invitation-only" access perhaps mitigates risk while gathering real-world data. As it stands, this isn't the Robotaxi revolution that some may have envisioned—but it likely represents the first step, on that journey.

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