Elon Musk confirms Tesla plan for robotaxis on Austin roads in June

Elon Musk spoke to CNBC from the Tesla headquarters in Texas and announced that the company plans to launch robotaxis in Austin by the end of June. The service will then expand to Los Angeles and San Francisco. Initially starting with 10 vehicles in Austin, Tesla aims to scale up to thousands of robotaxis if the launch is successful. Musk emphasized the importance of starting with a small number to ensure everything runs smoothly before expanding.

Unlike Alphabet’s Waymo, which uses advanced sensors like lidar and radar, Tesla’s approach relies on cameras and artificial intelligence. Musk believes this approach will be more effective and cost-efficient in deploying a large-scale fleet of robotaxis. The vehicles will be monitored remotely by Tesla employees initially, with plans to reduce human intervention as the system proves reliable.

Musk addressed concerns about Tesla’s declining EV sales, attributing it to factory retooling for the Model Y production. He expressed confidence in the rebound of demand for Tesla’s products. Despite his involvement in political matters, including advising President Trump, Musk affirmed his commitment to leading Tesla for the next five years and remains focused on advancing the company’s technology and services.