Tesla has officially expanded its driverless robotaxi service to the entire city of Austin. This is a significant milestone for the company's autonomous ride-hailing network. The expansion, which took effect on Wednesday at 10:00 AM local time, more than doubles the previous operating zone.
Background of the Expansion
The move follows months of testing in smaller areas. Elon Musk announced in April that the fleet is expected to grow to over one million vehicles by the end of 2026. In Austin, however, only about 20 vehicles are currently in operation, as reported by our colleague here.
Technical Basis
Tesla relies on its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software, which is based on a neural network. In the US, the HW4 (AI4) hardware is standard, while European vehicles often still use HW3. For more details on the technology, see our FSD tracker.
Outlook for Europe
While Tesla sets standards in Austin, the company is struggling for approvals in Europe. The Netherlands was the first EU country to approve FSD (Supervised). More info: First EU Approval: Tesla Activates FSD in the Netherlands.
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Source: Tesla North