For a lot of Tesla traders, Sunday’s launch of its robotaxi pilot in Texas represented a historic day. After years of daring guarantees, Elon Musk’s firm lastly started ferrying passengers on their very own with out a human instantly behind the wheel.
Whereas the primary impressions have been closely constructive, that ought to come as little shock. The number of passengers within the invite-only take a look at skewed in the direction of Tesla bulls, together with Dan Ives. The Wedbush tech analyst argues the inventory needs to be value double its present $1 trillion market worth, and presently recommends it as a purchase with a $500 value goal.
“General, these Robotaxis exceeded our expectations and supplied a seamless and personalised journey expertise that has lit the spark for autonomous driving,” Ives instructed his purchasers in a analysis observe on Sunday, summing up his expertise as “very spectacular.”
On the one hand, the day marked a historic milestone for Tesla, whose shares are set to open 1.7% increased in a flat market.
For the very first time, a producer closely reliant on {hardware} gross sales—the supply of electrical automobiles—demonstrated it was on the trail to changing into an organization that in the future might earn a considerable share of its income from high-margin software program and companies.
Nonetheless, it wasn’t wherever close to the “ChatGPT second” the Tesla CEO has promised for the previous two years.
No change was flipped that all of a sudden made thousands and thousands of Tesla automobiles able to driving themselves with out human supervision, as Musk has prophesied.
Tesla invited pleasant out-of-town influencers to check the service
As a substitute rides have been restricted largely to quite a lot of distinguished Tesla-friendly influencers, most of whom had travelled from out-of-town to Austin simply to take part within the launch.
The precise variety of vehicles taking part within the pilot on Sunday is unknown. Musk indicated he initially needed solely round a dozen or so to mitigate the danger and guarantee most security.
Tesla workers serving as security displays have been seated always within the entrance passenger seat, although it was unclear what affect that they had, if any, over the automobile or whether or not the automobile was, at occasions, being teleoperated remotely.
Because the rides have been geofenced to an space of southern Austin, the journeys charged for the symbolic value of $4.20 every (a marijuana reference Musk usually makes use of) tended to be quick. Two livestreams by Tesla promoters Farzad Mesbahi and Sawyer Merritt have been simply 5 and three minutes in size, respectively.
Tesla didn’t publish any figures from its first day, however in a single image of the Tesla robotaxi command middle posted by this system lead Ashok Elluswamy, a display screen indicated that 112 rides had been pushed for a complete of 499 miles, or roughly 4.5 miles per journey.
The corporate didn’t reply to a request from Fortune for remark.
Looking for robotaxi like ‘Pokemon searching’
Even on this managed atmosphere, it didn’t go off solely with out a hitch. There was a slight two-hour delay initially, and as soon as the service was activated, members cited unusually lengthy wait occasions and far-off pickup areas in some instances.
In a single occasion, this required Herbert Ong and Xander Sky to huff it in the hunt for their Tesla automobile since it might not acquire them on the principle street close to their location.
“That is like Pokemon searching,” Sky joked, as one of many friends on their livestream stated “carry on working, carry on working”.
“Carry on working, carry on working”. – @TeslaBoomerMama as she watches @herbertong seek for his first Robotaxi stopped to select him up in Austin. Herbert received a couple of 1/4 mile of steps in however he lastly discovered the Robotaxi. pic.twitter.com/7yXfeSqraf— Miss Jilianne (@MissJilianne) June 22, 2025
Sawyer Merritt, one other tester on Sunday, closely energetic within the Tesla group, stated he hoped this inconvenience can be mounted quickly.
“One factor I want you possibly can do is change the pickup spot for the Robotaxi,” he remarked. “Proper now, you’re locked into no matter it chooses.”
‘Clearly we’re on the mistaken aspect of the double yellow strains’
The largest problem, nevertheless, arose throughout a visit that Rob Maurer took. The previous Tesla Day by day podcaster, who was within the backseat of a Mannequin Y when it briefly tried to make a left flip earlier than then swerving again onto its earlier path.
By that time, nevertheless, it was briefly driving in a lane reserved for oncoming visitors.
“Clearly we’re on the mistaken aspect of the double yellow strains right here. No automobiles wherever in sight so this wasn’t a security problem, [but] we did get honked at by the automotive that was behind us,” Maurer stated.
In different phrases, Day One was largely the success many Tesla pundits anticipated, given the restrictions Musk put in place to make sure security, however one which nonetheless leaves room for enchancment even earlier than service expands to extra customers.
