Tesla Opens Robotaxi App to Public, Musk Predicts Driverless Rides by Year-End

Key Facts:

• Tesla’s Robotaxi app is now open for the general public in Austin and San Francisco
• Elon Musk says safety drivers will be removed by the end of 2025
• California law still requires extensive testing before driverless approval
• Texas law mandates safety drivers unless vehicles reach Level 4 or 5 autonomy
• Tesla stock rose 1.3% to 338.53 on the news

Tesla has opened its long-awaited Robotaxi app to the general public, expanding beyond influencers and early invitees. The app, now available in Austin and the San Francisco Bay Area, lets users join a waitlist for ride access. Some social media users reported already taking trips in the autonomous Teslas, though most are still operating with safety drivers in place.

CEO Elon Musk claimed on X that “safety drivers will be gone by year-end,” calling current driver monitors a temporary precaution. But California regulators have not yet cleared Tesla for full driverless operations, and under a new Texas law, vehicles must keep human oversight unless certified as fully autonomous. Tesla’s system is still classified as Level 2, far from the Level 4 or 5 autonomy required to eliminate drivers.

Despite regulatory uncertainty, the Robotaxi rollout signals Tesla’s push to compete with Alphabet’s Waymo, which already operates self-driving fleets in multiple U.S. cities. Tesla stock gained 1.3% Thursday, building on recent momentum after reclaiming key technical levels. Analysts say the company’s progress in scaling Robotaxi could become a key driver of long-term growth — if it can meet its ambitious timeline and regulatory hurdles.