Tesla launches prototype driverless cab in Texas
For now, customers ride in Tesla Model Y cars, pending the Cybercab, which is set to begin production in 2026.
Tesla's Cybercab robotaxi
(AFP) Tesla on Sunday launched its first driverless taxi service in Austin, Texas, using a small number of vehicles within a limited area and for select customers.
Users, who received invitations directly from Elon Musk's company, shared videos from the back of the cars: while there are no humans behind the wheel, a supervisor sits in the passenger seat.
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"Oh my God, there it is," the owner of the @Teslaconomics account assured upon seeing the driverless vehicle arrive.
"I love this ride, what I love most is the confidence the car inspires," he can be heard saying in another live recording by user Herbert Ong.
Musk republished on social network X several of these images, in particular those of a customer praising the smoothness of the ride.
He then congratulated his team, calling it the "culmination of ten years of hard work."
Tesla shares soar after new launch
The shares of the American electric car manufacturer Tesla rose more than 8% at 12:30 p.m. ET on the New York Stock Exchange on Monday, the day after the launch of its first driverless taxi service in Texas.
The shares rose more than 10% to $356 per share.
In Austin on Sunday, some invited customers were able to experience the new model for $4.20 per ride, according to the brand's autonomous taxi service.
Waiting for the Cybercab
According to AFP, for now, customers are getting into Tesla Model Y cars, awaiting the Cybercab, whose production is expected to begin in 2026. Unveiled in October, this driverless electric vehicle has neither a steering wheel nor pedals.
Musk said in May that the company will "probably" reach "a thousand in a few months."
Tesla puts its credibility on the line
Meanwhile, Tesla's sales are affected by Chinese competition, the limited renewal of its range and Musk's recent statements against Donald Trump.
Also, the president has taken significant action against policies that promoted electric cars, especially in the state of California.
On June 12, Trump signed orders repealing environmental rules that sought to phase out gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035.
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