Tesla's Robotaxi Service Launches in Austin, Texas with $4.20 Fee

Tesla's autonomous taxi service, Robotaxi, has officially launched in Austin, Texas on Sunday afternoon, offering a unique ride experience with prices starting at $4.20.

The service operates within a designated area in the southern part of the city, which explains the "perk-up" pricing model. Currently, Robotaxi is still undergoing testing and not fully open to the public, only available to invited users who can book a ride through a special app or webpage.

In this trial phase, ten Model Y cars form the initial fleet that will be operating within Austin's designated boundaries, manned by autopilot systems while an on-board safety assistant watches out for passenger safety.

The goal is ambitious with RoboTaxi set to expand at least 1,000 vehicles and exceed 10 million by the end of this year. If Tesla manages to secure a 10% market share in Robotaxi in time, it could see an estimated revenue boost in the billions. However, for such advanced driving technology to reach true level-4 autonomy remains just beyond its capabilities at present.