Tesla is testing driverless cars in Austin, Texas, without human occupants. This follows the launch of a limited Robotaxi service in the city about six months ago, where safety drivers were present. CEO Elon Musk announced the new phase on social media, stating that testing is now underway with no one in the vehicles. Following the news, Tesla's stock rose by 3.6%, closing at $475.31, marking an 18% increase for the year. Despite Musk's long-standing promises of fully autonomous vehicles, Tesla's progress has been slow. The company launched a Robotaxi-branded app in June but still hasn't achieved completely driverless operations. As of mid-October, Tesla reported seven collisions involving its Austin fleet, which comprises 30 vehicles with automated driving systems. Critics, like Philip Koopman from Carnegie Mellon University, argue that given the presence of safety supervisors, the number of accidents should have been lower. Tesla has also not disclosed detailed information about these incidents, which raises concerns about transparency. In Texas, current regulations allow autonomous vehicle testing on public roads if traffic laws are followed. However, new legislation set to take effect in 2026 will require operators to obtain DMV authorization for commercial self-driving vehicle use. Meanwhile, Tesla has not applied for necessary permits to conduct driverless testing in California. In the broader market, Tesla trails behind competitors like Waymo and Baidu's Apollo Go, which are already running commercial robotaxi services.