- A new video shows a driverless Tesla Model Y navigating streets in Austin, Texas.
- It appears to be the first sighting of Tesla’s Robotaxi program on public roads.
- The vehicles have a remote human observer at all times to take over when needed.
As self-driving cars edge closer to everyday reality, one brand continues to push the boundaries in full view of the public. Tesla is probably the most talked-about car company in America. Now, among the plethora of other facets of its business, driverless cars are a piece of the puzzle.
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Someone just spotted a Model Y without a driver moving around Austin, Texas. The short clip is a hint of what to expect more and more in the coming months.
More: Protesters Torch Robotaxis As Cybertruck Spins Through LA Chaos
Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, have both pointed to June as an important month. It’s when driverless robotaxis are set to head out onto public roads. In May, we learned that Tesla would launch the program with 10-20 cars and that they’d be geo-fenced the same way Waymo cars are. What we didn’t know for sure was when they’d first be on the road. Now, we know that day has come and gone.
An X user spotted one on June 10 and posted a video of it. The short 10-second clip doesn’t show much, but it’s more than enough to confirm that this is indeed a driverless Tesla. The car is driving off of Congress Ave and turning onto West James Street. Before doing so, it stops and allows pedestrians to cross the road. Then, once the road is clear, it continues on, and we see very clearly that nobody is in the front seat.
Could this be a particularly relaxed Tesla owner with a wild trust in Autopilot? Seems unlikely, for a few reasons. First, the car has a Robotaxi decal near the front door, clearly marking it as part of the program. Second, another Model Y is trailing it closely, probably with a Tesla employee onboard to monitor the situation. And finally, this timing aligns perfectly with what Tesla’s been saying all along that June was the target month.
Teslarati points out that Tesla is now listed on Austin’s government website as an autonomous vehicle tester in the city. Right now, the only riders are chosen by Tesla itself, by Musk says the public will get a crack at these cars before the month is over.
While recent press surrounding accidents both this year and in years past has everyone wondering how safe these cars will be, it’s nice to see that at least this interaction went smoothly. The video seems to indicate that the system Tesla is using responds appropriately in this exact situation. Still, maybe be on the lookout for these if you’re in Austin, Texas, anytime soon. That goes double for birds.
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Credit: @TerrapinTerpene
#Wasnt #Tesla #Glitch #Streets #Austin
