Latest news with #TeslaModelYs
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Tesla stock pops nearly 10% after 'foundational' robotaxi launch in Austin
Tesla (TSLA) stock popped as its robotaxi test kicked off smoothly on Sunday, with investors and Tesla enthusiasts breathing a sigh of relief — at least for now. 'The @Tesla_AI robotaxi launch begins in Austin [Sunday] afternoon with customers paying a $4.20 flat fee!' CEO Elon Musk posted on X, confirming the start of the test in Austin, Texas. Following Musk's tweet, numerous posters on X claimed they were able to hail and ride Tesla Model Ys emblazoned with 'Robotaxi' graphics in Austin, with one claiming he rode on 11 separate trips alone. Tesla stock jumped over 9% in early trading. Read more about Tesla's stock moves and today's market action. Tesla is starting off with 10-20 Model Y SUVs running as robotaxis in a geofenced area of Texas, with not only safety teleoperators able to control the vehicle in case of emergency but also a Tesla employee sitting in the passenger seat who can turn the vehicle off in case of an issue. Only select invited Tesla users were invited to test the robotaxi service in Austin. Scaling a robotaxi business that could take on industry leader Waymo (GOOG, GOOGL) would take thousands of vehicles operating without safety operators, as well as creating the infrastructure to clean and service the robotaxis. In addition, other players like GM's Cruise (GM) and Uber (UBER) had to cease operations following high-profile accidents, with an Uber test leading to a pedestrian death. Nonetheless, Wall Street bulls were cheering Tesla's early success. 'We took two approximately 15 minute rides around Austin and the key takeaways are that it was a comfortable, safe, and personalized experience,' Wedbush analyst and Tesla bull Dan Ives wrote in a note published late Sunday. In a particularly tense moment, Ives said, the robotaxi drove up a narrow road going up a hill with cars parked on both sides, with oncoming traffic and people opening their car doors into the road, but the robotaxi 'masterfully maneuvered with patience and safety among this chaos.' The ride also allowed users to sync their Tesla accounts with the robotaxi, allowing streaming apps like Netflix, Spotify, Hulu, Disney+, etc. to load with users' content ready to be played, Ives said. 'The Robotaxi's we experienced today were foundational, and there is a path for the future where these Robotaxis may also have Grok integration, interior customization, and a much more user-centric focus as there's no longer a need to focus on the driver experience,' Ives said. Tesla hasn't revealed its next steps or when the general public will be allowed to summon a robotaxi in Austin. Musk has said he expects 'millions' of robotaxis driving around by the second half of 2026, but the CEO has a history of making highly speculative predictions that have not come to fruition. Pras Subramanian is the lead auto reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on X and on Instagram.
CNBC
20 hours ago
- Automotive
- CNBC
Musk's Tesla is launching robotaxis in Austin, Texas
After driverless Tesla Model Ys were spotted traversing Austin, Texas, streets on Sunday morning, CEO Elon Musk posted on his social platform X that Tesla's "robotaxi launch" would start this afternoon with rides for a flat fee of $4.20. A Reuters witness saw several Tesla "robotaxis" on Sunday morning in a popular area of the Texas capital called South Congress with no one in the driver's seat but one person in the passenger seat. Tesla planned to have front-seat riders acting as "safety monitors," though it remained unclear how much control they would have over the vehicles. Videos of driverless Teslas have also been posted on social media but it was not known if the vehicles carried any passengers. As the date of the planned robotaxi launch approached, Texas lawmakers moved to enact rules on autonomous vehicles in the state. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, on Friday signed legislation requiring a state permit to operate self-driving vehicles. The law does not take effect until Sept. 1, but the governor's approval of it on Friday signals state officials from both parties want the driverless-vehicle industry to proceed cautiously. A group of Democratic state lawmakers earlier this week asked Tesla to delay its planned robotaxi trial because of the legislation. Tesla did not respond to requests for comment. The governor's office declined to comment. The law softens the state's previous anti-regulation stance on autonomous vehicles. A 2017 Texas law specifically prohibited cities from regulating self-driving cars. In recent days, Tesla has sent invites to a select group of Tesla online influencers for a small and carefully monitored robotaxi trial, which the company has said would include 10 or 20 Model Y vehicles operated in a limited zone of Austin. The law requires autonomous-vehicle operators to get approval from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles before operating on public streets without a human driver. It also gives state authorities the power to revoke permits if they deem a driverless vehicle "endangers the public," and requires firms to provide information on how police and first responders can deal with their driverless vehicles in emergency situations. The law's requirements for getting a state permit to operate an "automated motor vehicle" are not particularly onerous but require a firm to attest it can safely operate within the law. It defines an automated vehicle as having at least "Level 4" autonomous-driving capability under a recognized standard, meaning it can drive itself with no human driver under specified conditions, such as within a limited area. Level 5 autonomy is the top level and means a car can drive itself anywhere, under any conditions. Compliance remains far easier than in some states, most notably California, which requires extensive submission of vehicle-testing data under state oversight. The Tesla robotaxi launch, which the company warned might be delayed, comes after more than a decade of Musk's unfulfilled promises to deliver self-driving Teslas. Most of Tesla's sky-high stock value now rests on its ability to deliver robotaxis and humanoid robots, according to many industry analysts. Tesla is by far the world's most valuable automaker. Musk has said Tesla would be "super paranoid" about safety for the Austin rollout. The company planned to operate only in areas it considered the safest. The service in Austin will have other restrictions as well. Tesla plans to avoid bad weather, difficult intersections, and will not carry anyone below the age of 18. Musk has said he is ready to delay the start for safety reasons, if needed. The planned launch has generated buzz among Tesla fans. "Wow. We are going to ride in driverless Teslas in just a few days. On public roads," posted Omar Qazi, who has 635,200 followers on X, writes often about Tesla using the handle @WholeMarsBlog, and received an invite. Commercializing autonomous vehicles has been risky and expensive. GM's Cruise was shut down after a fatal accident and regulators are closely watching Tesla and its rivals, Alphabet's Waymo, which runs a paid robotaxi service in several U.S. cities, and Amazon's Zoox. Tesla is also bucking the young industry's standard practice of relying on multiple technologies to read the road, using only cameras. That, Musk says, will be safe and much less expensive than lidar and radar systems added by rivals.
GMA Network
20 hours ago
- Automotive
- GMA Network
Musk says Tesla launching robotaxis in Austin, Texas
AUSTIN, Texas — After driverless Tesla Model Ys were spotted traversing Austin, Texas streets on Sunday morning, CEO Elon Musk posted on his social platform X that Tesla's "robotaxi launch" would start that afternoon with rides for a flat fee of $4.20. A Reuters witness saw several Tesla "robotaxis" on Sunday morning in a popular area of the Texas capital called South Congress with no one in the driver's seat but one person in the passenger seat. Tesla planned to have front-seat riders acting as "safety monitors," though it remained unclear how much control they would have over the vehicles. Videos of driverless Teslas have also been posted on social media but it was not known if the vehicles carried any passengers. As the date of the planned robotaxi launch approached, Texas lawmakers moved to enact rules on autonomous vehicles in the state. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, on Friday signed legislation requiring a state permit to operate self-driving vehicles. The law does not take effect until September 1, but the governor's approval of it on Friday signals state officials from both parties want the driverless-vehicle industry to proceed cautiously. A group of Democratic state lawmakers earlier this week asked Tesla to delay its planned robotaxi trial because of the legislation. Tesla did not respond to requests for comment. The governor's office declined to comment. The law softens the state's previous anti-regulation stance on autonomous vehicles. A 2017 Texas law specifically prohibited cities from regulating self-driving cars. In recent days, Tesla has sent invites to a select group of Tesla online influencers for a small and carefully monitored robotaxi trial, which the company has said would include 10 or 20 Model Y vehicles operated in a limited zone of Austin. The law requires autonomous-vehicle operators to get approval from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles before operating on public streets without a human driver. It also gives state authorities the power to revoke permits if they deem a driverless vehicle "endangers the public," and requires firms to provide information on how police and first responders can deal with their driverless vehicles in emergency situations. The law's requirements for getting a state permit to operate an "automated motor vehicle" are not particularly onerous but require a firm to attest it can safely operate within the law. It defines an automated vehicle as having at least "Level 4" autonomous-driving capability under a recognized standard, meaning it can drive itself with no human driver under specified conditions, such as within a limited area. Level 5 autonomy is the top level and means a car can drive itself anywhere, under any conditions. Compliance remains far easier than in some states, most notably California, which requires extensive submission of vehicle-testing data under state oversight. Musk' safety pledges The Tesla robotaxi launch, which the company warned might be delayed, comes after more than a decade of CEO Elon Musk's unfulfilled promises to deliver self-driving Teslas. Most of Tesla's sky-high stock value now rests on its ability to deliver robotaxis and humanoid robots, according to many industry analysts. Tesla is by far the world's most valuable automaker. Musk has said Tesla would be "super paranoid" about safety for the Austin rollout. The company planned to operate only in areas it considered the safest. The service in Austin will have other restrictions as well. Tesla plans to avoid bad weather, difficult intersections, and will not carry anyone below the age of 18. Musk has said he is ready to delay the start for safety reasons, if needed. The planned launch has generated buzz among Tesla fans. "Wow. We are going to ride in driverless Teslas in just a few days. On public roads," posted Omar Qazi, who has 635,200 followers on X, writes often about Tesla using the handle @WholeMarsBlog, and received an invite. Commercializing autonomous vehicles has been risky and expensive. GM's Cruise was shut down after a fatal accident and regulators are closely watching Tesla and its rivals, Alphabet's Waymo, which runs a paid robotaxi service in several US cities, and Amazon's Zoox. Tesla is also bucking the young industry's standard practice of relying on multiple technologies to read the road, using only cameras. That, Musk says, will be safe and much less expensive than lidar and radar systems added by rivals. — Reuters
New York Post
21 hours ago
- Automotive
- New York Post
Tesla launches robotaxis in Austin, Texas at $4.20 a pop to start
After driverless Tesla Model Ys were spotted traversing Austin, Texas streets on Sunday morning, CEO Elon Musk posted on his social platform X that Tesla's 'robotaxi launch' would start today with rides for a flat fee of $4.20. A Reuters witness saw several Tesla 'robotaxis' on Sunday morning in a popular area of the Texas capital called South Congress with no one in the driver's seat but one person in the passenger seat. Tesla planned to have front-seat riders acting as 'safety monitors,' though it remained unclear how much control they would have over the vehicles. Videos of driverless Teslas have also been posted on social media but it was not known if the vehicles carried any passengers. Advertisement 5 A robotaxi in Austin, Texas on Sunday. REUTERS As the date of the planned robotaxi launch approached, Texas lawmakers moved to enact rules on autonomous vehicles in the state. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, on Friday signed legislation requiring a state permit to operate self-driving vehicles. The law does not take effect until Sept. 1, but the governor's approval of it on Friday signals state officials from both parties want the driverless-vehicle industry to proceed cautiously. A group of Democratic state lawmakers earlier this week asked Tesla to delay its planned robotaxi trial because of the legislation. Advertisement Tesla did not respond to requests for comment. The governor's office declined to comment. The law softens the state's previous anti-regulation stance on autonomous vehicles. A 2017 Texas law specifically prohibited cities from regulating self-driving cars. In recent days, Tesla has sent invites to a select group of Tesla online influencers for a small and carefully monitored robotaxi trial, which the company has said would include 10 or 20 Model Y vehicles operated in a limited zone of Austin. 5 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday signed a law requiring a state permit to operate self-driving vehicles. Jay Janner/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Advertisement The law requires autonomous-vehicle operators to get approval from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles before operating on public streets without a human driver. It also gives state authorities the power to revoke permits if they deem a driverless vehicle 'endangers the public,' and requires firms to provide information on how police and first responders can deal with their driverless vehicles in emergency situations. The law's requirements for getting a state permit to operate an 'automated motor vehicle' are not particularly onerous but require a firm to attest it can safely operate within the law. It defines an automated vehicle as having at least 'Level 4' autonomous-driving capability under a recognized standard, meaning it can drive itself with no human driver under specified conditions, such as within a limited area. 5 A robotaxi driving South Congress Avenue in Austin on Sunday. REUTERS Advertisement Level 5 autonomy is the top level and means a car can drive itself anywhere, under any conditions. Compliance remains far easier than in some states, most notably California, which requires extensive submission of vehicle-testing data under state oversight. The Tesla robotaxi launch, which the company warned might be delayed, comes after more than a decade of Musk's unfulfilled promises to deliver self-driving Teslas. 5 Elon Musk, right, has said Tesla would be 'super paranoid' about safety for the rollout in Austin. REUTERS Most of Tesla's sky-high stock value now rests on its ability to deliver robotaxis and humanoid robots, according to many industry analysts. Tesla is by far the world's most valuable automaker. Musk has said Tesla would be 'super paranoid' about safety for the Austin rollout. The company planned to operate only in areas it considered the safest. The service in Austin will have other restrictions as well. Tesla plans to avoid bad weather, difficult intersections, and will not carry anyone below the age of 18. Musk has said he is ready to delay the start for safety reasons, if needed. The planned launch has generated buzz among Tesla fans. Advertisement 5 A Waymo robotaxi in Austin last week. Bob Daemmrich/ZUMA / 'Wow. We are going to ride in driverless Teslas in just a few days. On public roads,' posted Omar Qazi, who has 635,200 followers on X, writes often about Tesla using the handle @WholeMarsBlog, and received an invite. Commercializing autonomous vehicles has been risky and expensive. GM's Cruise was shut down after a fatal accident and regulators are closely watching Tesla and its rivals, Alphabet's Waymo, which runs a paid robotaxi service in several U.S. cities, and Amazon's Zoox. Tesla is also bucking the young industry's standard practice of relying on multiple technologies to read the road, using only cameras. That, Musk says, will be safe and much less expensive than lidar and radar systems added by rivals.
Business Recorder
21 hours ago
- Automotive
- Business Recorder
Musk says Tesla launching robotaxis today in Austin
AUSTIN: After driverless Tesla Model Ys were spotted traversing Austin, Texas streets on Sunday morning, CEO Elon Musk posted on his social platform X that Tesla's "robotaxi launch" would start this afternoon with rides for a flat fee of $4.20. A Reuters witness saw several Tesla "robotaxis" on Sunday morning in a popular area of the Texas capital called South Congress with no one in the driver's seat but one person in the passenger seat. Tesla planned to have front-seat riders acting as "safety monitors," though it remained unclear how much control they would have over the vehicles. Videos of driverless Teslas have also been posted on social media but it was not known if the vehicles carried any passengers. Tesla's public robotaxi rides set for tentative June 22 start, CEO Musk says As the date of the planned robotaxi launch approached, Texas lawmakers moved to enact rules on autonomous vehicles in the state. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, on Friday signed legislation requiring a state permit to operate self-driving vehicles. The law does not take effect until September 1, but the governor's approval of it on Friday signals state officials from both parties want the driverless-vehicle industry to proceed cautiously. A group of Democratic state lawmakers earlier this week asked Tesla to delay its planned robotaxi trial because of the legislation. Tesla did not respond to requests for comment. The governor's office declined to comment. The law softens the state's previous anti-regulation stance on autonomous vehicles. A 2017 Texas law specifically prohibited cities from regulating self-driving cars. In recent days, Tesla has sent invites to a select group of Tesla online influencers for a small and carefully monitored robotaxi trial, which the company has said would include 10 or 20 Model Y vehicles operated in a limited zone of Austin. The law requires autonomous-vehicle operators to get approval from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles before operating on public streets without a human driver. It also gives state authorities the power to revoke permits if they deem a driverless vehicle "endangers the public," and requires firms to provide information on how police and first responders can deal with their driverless vehicles in emergency situations. The law's requirements for getting a state permit to operate an "automated motor vehicle" are not particularly onerous but require a firm to attest it can safely operate within the law. It defines an automated vehicle as having at least "Level 4" autonomous-driving capability under a recognized standard, meaning it can drive itself with no human driver under specified conditions, such as within a limited area. Level 5 autonomy is the top level and means a car can drive itself anywhere, under any conditions. Compliance remains far easier than in some states, most notably California, which requires extensive submission of vehicle-testing data under state oversight. MUSK'S SAFETY PLEDGES The Tesla robotaxi launch, which the company warned might be delayed, comes after more than a decade of CEO Elon Musk's unfulfilled promises to deliver self-driving Teslas. Most of Tesla's sky-high stock value now rests on its ability to deliver robotaxis and humanoid robots, according to many industry analysts. Tesla is by far the world's most valuable automaker. Musk has said Tesla would be "super paranoid" about safety for the Austin rollout. The company planned to operate only in areas it considered the safest. The service in Austin will have other restrictions as well. Tesla plans to avoid bad weather, difficult intersections, and will not carry anyone below the age of 18. Musk has said he is ready to delay the start for safety reasons, if needed. The planned launch has generated buzz among Tesla fans. "Wow. We are going to ride in driverless Teslas in just a few days. On public roads," posted Omar Qazi, who has 635,200 followers on X, writes often about Tesla using the handle @WholeMarsBlog, and received an invite. Commercializing autonomous vehicles has been risky and expensive. GM's Cruise was shut down after a fatal accident and regulators are closely watching Tesla and its rivals, Alphabet's Waymo, which runs a paid robotaxi service in several U.S. cities, and Amazon's Zoox. Tesla is also bucking the young industry's standard practice of relying on multiple technologies to read the road, using only cameras. That, Musk says, will be safe and much less expensive than lidar and radar systems added by rivals.
