A Tesla Model Y cruises through downtown Austin streets with no one at the wheel. The doors swing open, the passenger gets in, buckles up, and the car handles the road on its own, driving through streets, making turns, stopping at intersections, and even navigating through construction zones _with no hands on the wheel at all. Now we know exactly what happened thanks to a video captured by none other than Joe Tegtmeyer, a long-time Tesla critic who has taken hundreds of Robotaxi rides over the years.
Tesla first debuted their robotaxi service in Austin in June 2025. It was initially quite limited, available only in a small area and to a select few people. Every ride included a safety monitor in the passenger seat, just in case things turned nasty. However, over time, they began to expand the service to additional people through the app. Then, in early 2026, Elon Musk released the bombshell: Tesla now offers solo excursions with no safety monitors required.
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The deployment is moving slowly and in stages. To begin, the trip is accompanied by a chase car, adding another layer of safety as things get rolling. In Tegtmeyer’s ride, the pursue car is clearly visible in the background, hanging back while the Model Y handles the road. Austin is essentially being used as a test site for the next level. The fleet consists of regular Model Y automobiles that all run the same software; no special equipment is required. The cameras and computers that come with the car are all that is required.
It all points to a larger deployment and a future in which the Cybercab, a dedicated two-seater vehicle without a steering wheel, begins rolling off the manufacturing line at the Texas factory. This is all set for later in 2026. The Robotaxi rides are essentially gathering data so that they can scale up. Every ride simply refines the system, allowing them to deploy more fully autonomous vehicles to the roads.
