Elon Musk says Tesla robotaxi rides in Austin 'tentatively' set to begin June 22
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Tuesday that his company's robotaxi service is "tentatively" set to launch in Austin, Texas, on June 22.
In a post on X, Musk indicated that he's flying from Los Angeles to Austin for the kickoff, which he'd previously said would be sometime in June. When a commenter asked when public rides will start, Musk said the current plan is for June 22, and that the first ride from the factory to a customer's house will take place on June 28.
"We are being super paranoid about safety, so the date could shift," Musk wrote.
Earlier on Tuesday, Musk shared a video on X showing that Tesla was testing driverless vehicles on the roads of Austin without a human safety supervisor behind the wheel. The eight-second clip showed the latest version of the Model Y SUV, painted black with a white "Robotaxi" graffiti-style logo painted on it, navigating an intersection and pausing to allow pedestrians to traverse a crosswalk.
Musk recently told CNBC's David Faber that Tesla will start with a very small rollout, including about 10 to 20 of its robotaxis, with a new, "unsupervised" version of the company's FSD or "Full Self-Driving" technology installed. The tests will involve the Model Y, not the futuristic looking CyberCab that Tesla plans to produce next year.
Musk said Tesla will "geofence" the service, limiting where the robotaxis can initially operate, and that employees will remotely monitor the fleet.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Three ways the Trump-Musk feud revealed the GOP's twisted hypocrisy
Aside from being globally cathartic, the all-too-predictable breakup of President Donald Trump's unquenchable ego and Elon Musk's immense sense of self-importance pulled the dressing-room curtain back on the Republican Party. And what we saw was both cringeworthy and indecent. Or as I like to call it, the Republican Party. Here are three things this episode of 'Real Annoying Billionaires of Washington, DC' taught us about the conservatives who excitedly welcomed Musk – and his money – into politics: As the president and the weirdo billionaire hurled insults at each other on June 5, Trump posted this threat: 'The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts.' Gee, I wonder who, up until June 5, was helping Musk grease the wheels to line up 'Billions and Billions of Dollars' in additional government contracts? As The New York Times reported in March: 'Within the Trump administration's Defense Department, Elon Musk's SpaceX rocketry is being trumpeted as the nifty new way the Pentagon could move military cargo rapidly around the globe. In the Commerce Department, SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service will now be fully eligible for the federal government's $42 billion rural broadband push, after being largely shut out during the Biden era. … And at the Federal Aviation Administration and the White House itself, Starlink satellite dishes have recently been installed, to expand federal government internet access.' Opinion: Musk erupts, claims Trump is in the Epstein files. Who could've seen this coming? How quickly Trump went from filling Musk's coffers to repay him for his support and campaign contributions to suggesting Musk's contracts were, in fact, a form of government waste and fraud. (I mean … they are a form of government waste and fraud, but not in the way Trump was suggesting.) There's no other takeaway from this other than: We were happy to pay Musk whatever he wanted as long as he loved Trump, but the minute he stopped loving Trump, we can easily stop paying him. I think there's a word for that. Musk's swift about-face on Trump shows what many of us have long suspected: Republicans or Republicans-of-convenience like Musk don't actually like or respect Trump. On Feb. 7, Musk posted on social media: 'I love @realDonaldTrump as much as a straight man can love another man.' On June 5, Musk posted: '@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!' Going from 'I love you, man' to 'I'm alleging you're connected to a notorious sex offender who was facing child sex trafficking charges before he died of suicide in jail' is quite a journey. And it implies that Musk saw Trump for what he is: a useful, loathsome fool. Opinion: Who would want to have babies under a Trump administration? Not me. The minute Trump became not useful to Musk, he sang his truth, something I'd bet most Republicans would do if they had untold wealth and didn't have to worry much about repercussions. That tells you all you need to know about the modern-day GOP – liars boosting a lout in their own self-interest. For all its fanfare, the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency that Musk oversaw accomplished precious little cost-cutting while inflicting massive harm on America's global reputation, the lives of people reliant on U.S. aid, and the overall functioning of the federal government. Republicans knew this yet still tripped over themselves to toss roses at Musk's feet, hailing him as some kind of genius/savior. They wanted his money, and they wanted the disinformation cannon that comes with his right-wing social media platform. But when Musk grew wise to what Republican lawmakers were doing with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – a deficit-ballooning monstrosity – he turned on his handmaidens and his former love, President Trump. Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. So Trump, of course, called him crazy. Which begs the question: Why were you letting a crazy person access Americans' most private data and demolish the federal workforce? And are you now going to … you know … make sure the guy you think is crazy didn't do something catastrophically bad? Congressional Republicans had to pick a side, and they've largely stepped into Trump's arms, knowing Musk may well be disliked even more than the sitting president. The Washington Post reported June 6: 'Across the government, the Trump administration is scrambling to rehire many federal employees dismissed under DOGE's staff-slashing initiatives after wiping out entire offices, in some cases imperiling key services such as weather forecasting and the drug approval process.' Translation: Musk's DOGE nonsense was for naught, an attempt to fluff a billionaire's ego while cloaking the high-spending, deficit-raising moves Republicans were going to make all along. There's a sucker born every minute, and two Republicans to take 'em. Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on Bluesky at @ and on Facebook at You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump vs. Musk shows us depths of the GOP's moral rot | Opinion
Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Elon Musk Has Benefited From DOGE Cuts but Have the Rest of Americans? Experts Weigh In
Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has claimed massive savings while facing criticism for potentially benefiting the billionaire personally. Congressional reports estimate Musk's companies avoided $2.37 billion in potential liability through DOGE's regulatory changes this year. For You: Read Next: Meanwhile, everyday Americans face increased delays and diminished access to essential services, according to finance expert Andrew Lokenauth, founder of A Senate subcommittee investigation revealed how DOGE cuts have disproportionately benefited Musk and his business empire. According to the minority staff report, Musk's companies faced 25 federal investigations before Trump took office. The report estimated Tesla alone faced $1.19 billion in potential liability for allegedly misleading autopilot statements. Check Out: The Congressional analysis further revealed that Musk put pressure on the head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to resign before Trump's inauguration. This could be because in September 2024 the FAA suggested several fines totaling $633,009 against SpaceX for license infractions. The FAA also tried to dismiss regulators overseeing Musk's economic interests. However, Musk can't be held accountable for this action because his status as senior advisor shields him from scrutiny that cabinet members receive. DOGE's website claims $175 billion in total savings since Trump took office, representing over $1,000 per taxpayer. However, analysis by multiple news outlets reveals significant accounting errors and questionable methodology in these calculations. According to The New York Times, earlier DOGE claims included an $8 billion typo for an $8 million contract. The Atlantic reported that verified budget savings stood at just $2 billion after correcting various accounting mistakes. Per a BBC analysis, less than 40% of DOGE's claimed savings include links to supporting documentation. According to CBS News, DOGE's actions may have actually cost taxpayers $135 billion through productivity losses and rehiring. 'There have been sectors where waste was reduced, mainly in outdated bureaucratic processes. Streamlining digital operations or cutting legacy contracts helped modernize tech and defense procurement. A few urban centers even saw faster permit approvals,' said Daniel Ray, national insurance expert and CEO of 'Rural communities and working-class families often get hit hardest. When funding is cut without a backup plan, essential services like mail or healthcare access vanish overnight,' Ray added. Reports from USA Today and the Center for American Progress also confirmed that Americans in some regions are experiencing longer wait times for Social Security and other federal services after staff reductions. Public trust in federal agencies has continued to decline as DOGE's cost-cutting measures reshape government operations. According to a KFF Health Tracking Poll, 61% of Americans opposed major cuts to staff and spending at federal health agencies. Moreover, 54% said the Trump administration and DOGE have gone too far with recent reductions. The same survey found that most Democrats and independents see the cuts as reckless, while a majority of Republicans support the changes as necessary for efficiency. 'Some see the cuts as needed tough love, while others see neglect. The mixed signals make it harder for people to believe the system works for them, especially when services feel slower or out of reach,' Ray explained. An analysis from the Council on Criminal Justice also warned that funding cuts risk eroding public trust in government, especially when services are reduced or discontinued. Lokenauth said indiscriminate reductions can lead to disruptions, backlogs and a decline in service quality, which further undermines confidence in federal institutions 'Policymakers need to understand fiscal responsibility should never mean sacrificing service. The lesson from DOGE is clear: Cutting costs isn't leadership unless paired with clear improvements and a strategy that protects the vulnerable while fixing what's broken,' Ray said. While DOGE's $175 billion in claimed savings includes contract cancellations and fraud crackdowns, experts argue that the human cost risks overshadowing short-term gains. The true long-term impact of DOGE's cuts on American communities and finances remains under debate, with both positive and negative effects still emerging. The subcommittee report said it does not accuse Musk of illegal activity in his DOGE role. However, according to multiple experts, the concentration of regulatory relief benefiting Musk's companies raises ethical questions. Per ongoing analysis, the true long-term impact of DOGE's cuts on American communities remains under scrutiny. Editor's note on political coverage: GOBankingRates is nonpartisan and strives to cover all aspects of the economy objectively and present balanced reports on politically focused finance stories. You can find more coverage of this topic on More From GOBankingRates 5 Cities You Need To Consider If You're Retiring in 2025 This article originally appeared on Elon Musk Has Benefited From DOGE Cuts but Have the Rest of Americans? Experts Weigh In Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Charging Electric Cars, a Bane of Their Owners, May Be Improving
Since Tesla installed its first Superchargers in 2012 for the exclusive use of its customers, owners of other electric cars have often felt like second-class citizens. They have wandered in search of electric oases in desolate parking lots, often making desperate calls to help centers after becoming stymied by balky or broken chargers. It's no surprise, then, that consumers rank problems with public electric vehicle charging and the time it takes to fuel up as their top two reasons for rejecting electric vehicles, according to J.D. Power. But help may finally be at hand. Automakers and charging companies are building new stations and updating their cars to allow drivers to more easily and quickly recharge their vehicles. They are also outfitting charging stations with more amenities like food and bathrooms while making the devices more reliable. And because chargers are only as fast as the cars they connect with, automakers are designing new cars to absorb electricity at Usain Bolt-level speeds. In addition, many automakers have cut deals with Tesla allowing owners of other cars access to the company's fast-charging network, the largest in the country and widely considered the most reliable. There is early evidence that efforts to improve electric vehicle charging are paying off. In recent years, J.D. Power surveys showed that about 20 percent of attempts to charge electric vehicles at all public stations ended in failure because of faulty chargers, long lines or payment glitches. But in the first three months of 2025, overall failure rates fell to 16 percent, the biggest improvement since the surveys began in 2021. 'The industry is finally elevating as a whole,' said Brent Gruber, an executive director at J.D. Power. The number of chargers has also increased. There were about 55,200 fast chargers in the United States in May, up from 42,200 a year earlier, according to federal data. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
