Houston Gets Key Role in Tesla's Plans for Driverless Robotaxis

Tribune News Service — Tesla plans to bring its driverless robotaxi service to Houston, following CEO Elon Musk’s announcement that safety drivers will be phased out in Austin by the end of 2025.

Musk spoke at the annual Tesla shareholder meeting last week in Austin about the production of the robotaxi, which the company calls a “Cybercab.” As he spoke, a video noted the cities where Tesla plans to offer the driverless cab service: Houston, Dallas, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Miami. It is unclear when those areas will see the robotaxis.

“(The robotaxis) will be everywhere in the future,” Musk said during his announcement, which was reported by the Houston Business Journal.

Tesla currently has robotaxis in Austin and the San Francisco Bay Area. Last year, Musk specified that the services would be launched in California and Texas. In a July earnings call, he announced plans to release robotaxis in San Antonio and Los Angeles as well.

The robotaxis in Austin are the Model Y, one of the few models in the company’s production. The self-driving vehicle is an artificial intelligence-powered model featuring a sleek, futuristic exterior.

“We wanted it to look futuristic ... it changes the look of the roads,” Musk said.

Tesla’s latest expansion in Austin offers 30 robotaxis in a 240-square-mile area, according to the Austin American-Statesman. The vehicles still have a human safety driver on board.

Tesla has been under investigation for its “full self-driving” system after federal officials received reports of cars running red lights, driving on the wrong side of the road and crashing, according to the Statesman.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been reviewing 58 incidents tied to the self-driving system.

Even though Tesla plans to remove safety drivers from the vehicles in Austin, critics believe the self-driving system still requires a driver’s full attention. In Texas, a law currently allows self-driving cars to operate on public roads without a driver. However, a new state rule requires autonomous companies to get a permit from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to operate fully driverless fleets.

Tesla plans to open its autonomous ride-hailing network to private owners of the cars in early 2026. This will enable Tesla owners to add their vehicles to the fleet of cab services during idle hours, allowing them to earn money.

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