Bloomberg reported on May 28 (local time) that Tesla is planning to launch its robo (driverless) taxi service in Austin, Texas, on June 12.
According to Bloomberg, citing sources, Tesla has set this target internally. However, the sources added that the launch date could change.
The sources also stated that, in preparation for the robo taxi launch, a Model Y vehicle with no one in the driver's seat was test-driven in fully autonomous mode on public roads in Austin this week.
Tesla did not respond to Bloomberg's request for comment regarding the robo taxi launch.
Bloomberg also reported that the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which oversees ride-hailing services such as Uber, has not yet registered Tesla as a company authorized to operate ride-hailing services.
Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk, in a CNBC interview broadcast on May 20, responded "Yes" when asked whether Tesla could launch fully autonomous robo taxi services on Austin roads by the end of June. He explained that road tests are currently being conducted with drivers on board the robo taxis, and added, "It looks like it will go well in Austin next month." He also stated that he expects the robo taxi fleet to start with 10 vehicles in its first week of operation and reach 1,000 vehicles within a few months.
Bloomberg predicted that the launch of the robo taxi service would be a significant milestone in CEO Musk's plan to reorganize the company around autonomous vehicles and artificial intelligence (AI).
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