Elon Musk recently reacted to the first public sighting of Tesla’s robotaxi prototype testing without a driver, calling it a “beautifully simple design”. The vehicle was spotted operating on public roads in Austin, Texas, and featured Tesla’s new “Robotaxi” wordmark on its side with no one in the driver’s seat.
Key Features of the Robotaxi Prototype
- The vehicle is a modified Model Y with Tesla’s new “Robotaxi” wordmark on its side
- The prototype was spotted operating on public roads in Austin, Texas, with no driver onboard
- Elon Musk praised the design, sparking a flurry of responses from users
Public Reaction to the Robotaxi Prototype
Users took to social media to express their thoughts on the prototype, with some questioning the vehicle’s tech setup. Some of the questions raised included:
- How the lidars were hidden
- What happens if the vehicle malfunctions
- Timeline for unsupervised driving in Canada
- Accessibility for users without a driver’s license
Comparison with Waymo
The limited rollout of Tesla’s robotaxi arrives as another player, Waymo, continues to accelerate at scale. Waymo’s explosive growth in California has taken monthly ride volume from fewer than 100,000 a year ago to over 700,000 as of June 2025. Waymo plans to double its total paid rides to reach the 20 million milestone by year-end.
Key Statistics on Waymo’s Growth
- Monthly ride volume: over 700,000 as of June 2025
- Total paid rides: 10 million milestone reached in just five months
- Weekly ride volume: over 250,000 trips across Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin
- Completed rides in California: jumped from 143,000 in May to more than 312,000 by August 2024
Tesla’s Pilot Program
Tesla’s Austin pilot, launching June 12 with about 10 modified Model Y vehicles, marks its first move into live driverless service. The rollout arrives as Waymo prepares to test its AV taxis in new markets, including San Antonio, Houston, and Orlando. As the autonomous vehicle market continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how Tesla’s robotaxi prototype fares in comparison to Waymo’s established service.