Tesla's much-anticipated robotaxi service launches in Austin, Texas, with a limited rollout of 10 geo-fenced vehicles and human backup operators. This differs significantly from Elon Musk's previous promises of fully autonomous vehicles. While Tesla highlights cost advantages in hardware and a potential fleet advantage using customer vehicles, questions remain regarding the reliability of its camera-based system, regulatory hurdles, and the feasibility of integrating existing Tesla vehicles into the network. The limited launch marks a significant test for Tesla's claims of a revolutionary robotaxi network.

Prepared by Jonathan Pierce and reviewed by editorial team.