Tesla has begun testing driverless vehicles in Austin, Texas, without human occupants, following a limited Robotaxi service launch earlier this year. CEO Elon Musk announced this development on social media, while the company faces scrutiny over accident reports and regulatory changes coming in 2026. Tesla's progress in autonomous driving lags behind competitors like Waymo and Baidu.

Tesla plans to expand its robotaxi service in California, but regulators have clarified that it must operate with human drivers due to restrictions on autonomous vehicle transport. The company will offer rides to friends and family of employees and select members of the public, but only using non-autonomous vehicles, while facing scrutiny over its driver assistance marketing practices.