Tesla has launched unsupervised Robotaxi rides in Austin, Dallas, and Houston, Texas, with the service expanding to Dallas and Houston on April 18. Geofenced areas are active in Houston's Jersey Village neighborhood and Dallas' Highland Park, as shown in maps shared on X. A regular customer ride was confirmed in Dallas shortly after rollout, and Tesla showcased a 360-degree view of a ride without onboard safety monitors.
Tesla announced the unsupervised Robotaxi expansion into Dallas and Houston via posts on X on April 18, including maps of initial service zones in Houston's Jersey Village and Dallas' Highland Park. Tesla journalist Sawyer Merritt confirmed the rollout without safety monitors and shared details of a regular customer ride in Dallas by the end of the day. The service originated in Austin, Tesla's headquarters, where early rides included a 'Tesla Safety Monitor'; it has since transitioned to fully autonomous operations without onboard supervisors, though some vehicles may involve remote human operation. This positions Tesla against Waymo, which began autonomous ride-hailing in the same Texas cities in February. The expansion aligns with Tesla's Q4 earnings presentation listing future cities like Phoenix, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and Las Vegas. Tesla also holds approvals for ride-hailing in California's Bay Area but awaits clearance for unsupervised operations.
