Tesla Launches Fully Driverless Robotaxi Service in Austin, Shares Rise 4%

Tesla recently launched its fully driverless Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, becoming the first company to operate entirely without in-vehicle safety drivers and relying solely on camera-based vision for autonomous driving. Currently, 42 fully autonomous vehicles are operating in Austin alongside vehicles with safety drivers, with plans to gradually increase the proportion of driverless cars over time. Although some users have questioned whether safety-driver vehicles still trail behind certain autonomous cars, Tesla confirmed that its Robotaxis now operate with "no safety driver inside the vehicle." Boosted by this announcement, Tesla’s stock rose 4.15%, adding approximately RMB 415 billion to its market capitalization. The company now operates a total of 200 Robotaxis across the U.S., including 158 in California. Looking ahead, Tesla’s upcoming Cybercab model is expected to reduce operating costs to $0.20 per mile—significantly below current industry levels—further enhancing its scalability and fare competitiveness.