Summary: Tesla’s self-driving robotaxis may soon be available to anyone without an invitation, according to CEO Elon Musk. He announced this update on X, stating the service will be “open access” next month. The news comes amid a lawsuit from Tesla shareholders regarding safety concerns, claiming the vehicles may disobey traffic laws and pose risks. This follows the June rollout of robotaxis in Austin, coinciding with declining Tesla sales partially attributed to Musk’s political influences. Meanwhile, competitor Waymo has expanded its autonomous vehicle service in Austin.
AUSTIN, Texas — Hitching a ride in Tesla’s self-driving robotaxis might soon be possible without an invitation, according to the company’s billionaire CEO Elon Musk.
Musk confirmed the news on Sunday in a post on X responding to a user that asked why a special invitation is needed in order for people to test out the company’s latest creation.
“It will be open access next month,” Musk replied.
The news comes days after Tesla shareholders sued Musk and his electric car company over robotaxi safety concerns, claiming that the vehicles disobey traffic laws and risk passenger safety.
The lawsuit accuses Musk and Tesla of overstating “the effectiveness of its autonomous driving technology; there was thus a significant risk that the Company’s autonomous driving vehicles, including the Robotaxi, would operate dangerously and/or in violation of traffic laws.”
Tesla’s highly-anticipated robotaxis launched in Austin in late June. The rollout came amid a drop in Tesla sales triggered in part by Musk’s sway into far-right politics.
Waymo, Musk’s competition in the self-driving world, rolled out autonomous vehicles in Austin last year and recently expanded its service area from 37 to 90 square miles within the city limits.