Tesla to Launch Robo-Taxi in Texas Next Year... In Consultation with Authorities

U.S. electric vehicle company Tesla is in early talks with city authorities to launch fully autonomous robo (driverless) taxis in Austin, Texas next year, Bloomberg News reported on the 19th (local time).

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According to emails obtained by Bloomberg News through a public records request, Tesla employees have been communicating with Austin's autonomous vehicle task force (TF) since at least last May for these discussions. Tesla has not yet started testing robo taxis on public roads and is confirmed to be conducting tests only within the Gigafactory site of its manufacturing plant in Austin.

Tesla employees expressed their intention to participate in the autonomous driving TF by contacting the City of Austin ahead of the robo taxi unveiling event. Established last year, Austin's autonomous driving TF collaborates with related companies and local residents to gather opinions on autonomous vehicles and related accident data, while also establishing safety education and procedures. So far, the TF has cooperated with several autonomous vehicle companies testing in Austin, including Google Waymo, Volkswagen, and Amazon Zoox.

Additionally, in an email sent in November, Tesla employees stated, "Tesla is still strategically looking for cities within Texas to deploy (robo taxis)," adding, "Austin is definitely on the roadmap, but the first deployment location has not yet been decided." Earlier this month, an event was held in Austin to train firefighters and rescue personnel on how to handle Tesla's autonomous driving technology. The confirmed emails also mentioned that such training could help adjust Tesla's deployment strategy.

Bloomberg News noted that with Tesla CEO Elon Musk nominated to head the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the next administration starting in January next year, significant deregulation is expected, and such movements are being observed in Austin. Texas, including Austin where Tesla's headquarters are located, is politically classified as a "Republican stronghold." However, as Tesla employees mentioned, Austin is not the only candidate city within Texas.

Earlier, at a robo taxi unveiling event on October 10, CEO Musk announced, "We will start fully autonomous driving in Texas and California next year." In the earnings conference call that same month, he said Tesla is pilot testing ride-share technology similar to Uber with robo taxis in the San Francisco Bay Area. Bloomberg News added that Tesla could adopt a similar approach in Texas as well.