In a bold move that’s turning heads across the tech world, Tesla has officially launched its driverless robotaxi service in Austin, marking a significant milestone in autonomous vehicle technology. The service kicked off with a fleet of about 10 Model Y SUVs operating in a specific area of South Austin, promising riders a futuristic transportation experience at a flat rate of $4.20 per ride.

Tesla’s approach differs dramatically from competitors like Waymo, as the company is betting on an end-to-end AI system using only cameras, without traditional sensor arrays. Early access riders, primarily drawn from Tesla’s most vocal online supporters, have begun testing the service, with each ride accompanied by a Tesla employee serving as a “safety monitor”.

The rollout isn’t without its quirks and uncertainties. Observers have noted some unusual vehicle behaviors, such as unexpected braking near police vehicles, highlighting the complex challenges of autonomous driving. Tesla remains characteristically tight-lipped about technical details, even attempting to block public records requests from journalists and transportation authorities.

Interestingly, Tesla isn’t using its much-hyped Cybercabs for this initial launch, instead deploying 2025 Model Y vehicles equipped with what Elon Musk describes as an “unsupervised” version of Full Self-Driving software. The company has also made the intriguing choice to disable in-cabin cameras during rides, activating them only for support or post-ride readiness checks.

The service will operate daily from 6:00 a.m. to midnight, with potential limitations during inclement weather. Tesla is encouraging early adopters to document their experiences while simultaneously warning against sharing content that might reveal operational issues.

As the first major test of Tesla’s autonomous driving vision, this Austin experiment represents more than just a transportation service – it’s a real-world validation of Musk’s long-standing promises about self-driving technology. Whether this marks the beginning of a transportation revolution or another step in a complex technological journey remains to be seen.