Latest news with #FSDUnsupervised
CNBC
3 days ago
- Automotive
- CNBC
Tesla is hiring robotaxi test drivers in New York City, but company hasn't applied for permits
Tesla is recruiting test drivers in New York to operate cars with "automated driving systems," but the company hasn't applied for the permits it would need to test autonomous vehicles in the nation's largest city. A job opening on Tesla's website says the company is looking to hire vehicle operators in the borough of Queens. The hires will be "responsible for driving an engineering vehicle for extended periods, conducting dynamic audio and camera data collection for testing and training purposes." A spokesperson for the New York City Department of Transportation told CNBC on Monday that Tesla has not applied for approvals to test AVs on city streets in New York. InsideEVs, an electric vehicles news site, previously reported that Tesla was hiring test drivers for its robotaxis in Brooklyn. Any company that obtains a permit to test AVs in New York has to keep "a trained safety driver behind the wheel, ready to take control of an AV-enabled vehicle at all times," according to the DOT spokesperson. Tesla didn't respond to a request for comment. Alphabet's Waymo, the robotaxi leader in North America, has applied to test its AVs in New York, but its application remains under review, the DOT said Monday. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been trying to sell investors on a future for his company that's built around AI and robotics, rather than sales of its existing vehicles. But Tesla still earns almost all of its revenue from sales of EVs and battery energy storage systems. Tesla's EV sales have been on the decline this year, especially in Europe, partly due to Musk's decision to focus on the Cybertruck, rather than producing a more affordable EV with mainstream appeal. Some of the company's struggles are the result of a political backlash against Tesla because of Musk's incendiary political rhetoric, work with President Donald Trump, and endorsements of Germany's anti-immigrant AfD party. Along with its recruiting efforts in Queens, Tesla is also seeking to hire test drivers for its Autopilot team to gather data from drives in cities and suburbs of Dallas, Houston, Tampa, Orlando and Miami, as well as Palo Alto, California, home to Tesla's engineering headquarters. The current listings on Tesla's website say Autopilot vehicle operators may need to travel to international and domestic destinations and must be familiar with "automated driving systems," suggesting planned or ongoing testing of Tesla's robotaxi and FSD or Full Self Driving system, currently marketed as FSD Unsupervised in the U.S. Tesla notched a win in Texas last week, obtaining a permit to run a ride-hailing service in the state. The Tesla Robotaxi LLC permit and state regulations do not require Tesla to keep a human safety driver on board. However, Tesla has been operating a fleet of robotaxis in Austin since late June, with employees riding in the front passenger seat, tasked with manually intervening during a trip if necessary. The service has only been accessible to invited users. Musk said in a post on X over the weekend that he intends for the Austin service to open to the general public next month. In San Francisco, Tesla is also operating a limited, manned car service but promoting it as "autonomous ride-hailing." Musk posted last week that the company is "working as quickly as possible to get 100+ Teslas operating for autonomous ride-hailing (can't use the word "taxi" or "cab" in California) in the Bay Area and allow anyone to request a ride." The company is not authorized to carry passengers on public roads in autonomous vehicles in California, the California Public Utilities Commission told CNBC in a recent email. Tesla's approach to AVs has drawn federal probes, product liability lawsuits and recalls following injurious or damaging collisions that occurred while drivers were using the company's Autopilot or FSD systems. The California DMV previously sued Tesla, accusing it of false advertising around its driver assistance systems. While Tesla owners manuals say the Autopilot and FSD features in their cars are "hands on" systems that require a driver ready to steer or brake at any time, Tesla and Musk have shared statements through the years saying that a Tesla can "drive itself."
CNBC
23-06-2025
- Automotive
- CNBC
Tesla robotaxi incidents caught on camera in Austin draw regulators' attention
Tesla was contacted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Monday after videos posted on social media showed the company's robotaxis driving in a chaotic manner on public roads in Austin, Texas. Elon Musk's electric vehicle maker debuted autonomous trips in Austin on Sunday, opening the service to a limited number of riders by invitation only. In videos shared widely on social media, one Tesla robotaxi was spotted traveling the wrong way down a road, and another was shown braking hard in the middle of traffic, responding to "stationary police vehicles outside its driving path." A spokesperson for NHTSA said in an e-mail that the agency "is aware of the referenced incidents and is in contact with the manufacturer to gather additional information." Tesla Vice President of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy, and regulatory counsel Casey Blaine didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The federal safety regulator says it doesn't "pre-approve new technologies or vehicle systems." Instead, automakers certify that each vehicle model they make meets federal motor vehicle safety standards. The agency says it will investigate "incidents involving potential safety defects," and take "necessary actions to protect road safety," after assessing a wide array of reports and information. NHTSA previously initiated an investigation into possible safety defects with Tesla's FSD-Supervised technology, or FSD Beta systems, following injurious and fatal accidents. That probe is ongoing. The Tesla robotaxis in Austin are Model Y SUVs equipped with the company's latest FSD Unsupervised software and hardware. The pilot robotaxi service, involving fewer than two-dozen vehicles, operates during daylight hours and only in good weather, with a human safety supervisor in the front passenger seat. The service is now limited to invited users, who agree to the terms of Tesla's "early access program." Those who have received invites are mostly promoters of Tesla's products, stock and CEO. While the rollout sent Tesla shares up 8% on Monday, the launch fell shy of fulfilling Musk's many driverless promises over the past decade. In 2015, Musk told shareholders Tesla cars would achieve "full autonomy" within three years. In 2016, he said a Tesla EV would be able to make a cross-country drive without needing any human intervention before the end of 2017. And in 2019, on a call with institutional investors that helped him raise more than $2 billion, Musk said Tesla would have 1 million robotaxi-ready vehicles on the road in 2020, able to complete 100 hours of driving work per week each, making money for their owners. None of that has happened. Meanwhile, Alphabet-owned Waymo says it has surpassed 10 million paid trips last month. Competitors in China, including Baidu's Apollo Go, WeRide and are also operating commercial robotaxi fleets.
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Elon Musk says there's 'no need' for Tesla to buy Uber, and the reason is the company's rival to Google Waymo
Tesla CEO Elon Musk dismissed speculation about acquiring Uber , saying the electric vehicle maker has "all the ingredients necessary" to launch its own autonomous ride-hailing fleet that will compete directly with Waymo and other self-driving services. In a CNBC interview, Musk outlined his vision for Tesla's autonomous ride-hailing service, describing a "combination of a Tesla-owned fleet and also enabling Tesla owners to be able to add or subtract their car to the fleet" for autonomous use. This would allow Tesla owners to earn money when they're not using their vehicles. "I think it's maybe possible for Tesla owners to make more in allowing the car to be added to the self-driving fleet than it costs them in the lease," Musk told CNBC's David Faber , comparing the business model to "some combination of Airbnb and Uber." Tesla's robotaxi service launching next month in Austin After years of delays, Tesla plans to debut its invitation-only robotaxi service in Austin next month using its FSD Unsupervised software, which doesn't require a driver behind the wheel. "We'll start with probably 10 for a week, then increase it to 20, 30, 40," Musk said. "It will probably be at 1,000 within a few months." When asked if Tesla needed to improve its technology before launching a large-scale robotaxi service, Musk was confident: "I don't think we're missing anything." The announcement comes as competition in the autonomous ride-hailing space heats up. Alphabet's Waymo already offers robotaxis on Uber's platform in Phoenix, Austin, and Atlanta, while Lyft has partnered with companies like May Mobility and Mobileye to begin offering autonomous vehicles this summer. Tesla's entry into the autonomous ride-hailing market represents a significant expansion of its business model and potential revenue streams. With "millions of cars that will be able to operate autonomously," Musk believes Tesla can build a vast self-driving fleet without acquiring established ride-sharing companies like Uber. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Express Tribune
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Express Tribune
Musk confirms Tesla Robotaxi launch in Austin, Texas by end of June
Listen to article Tesla CEO Elon Musk has confirmed that the company will begin testing its long-awaited robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, by the end of June, with an initial fleet of around 10 vehicles. Speaking in a CNBC interview at Tesla's headquarters in Austin, Musk said the pilot programme will mark the official debut of Tesla's fully autonomous ride-hailing service. If successful, the service will scale rapidly, with up to 1,000 vehicles expected on the road within a few months. 'It's prudent for us to start with a small number, confirm that things are going well, and then scale it up,' Musk stated. Tesla's robotaxi service will initially operate using Model Y vehicles equipped with the latest version of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software, referred to as "FSD Unsupervised." 🚨 BREAKING: Tesla's Robotaxi service, powered by FSD Unsupervised, is set to launch on June 1st! Just 31 days to go! 🚀 — Teslasti Basti (@BastianBraun121) May 1, 2025 The company plans to geofence the operation — restricting movement to specific zones within Austin — while eliminating human safety drivers. Tesla employees will remotely monitor the fleet to ensure safety and performance. Musk said plans are in motion to expand the service to Los Angeles and San Francisco following the Austin rollout, pending a smooth initial phase. Since 2016, Musk has pledged that Tesla was on the verge of deploying self-driving cars. However, Tesla vehicles currently still require driver supervision and have not yet received regulatory approval for fully autonomous operation without human intervention. Musk reiterated Tesla's distinctive approach to autonomy, relying solely on AI, cameras, and digital neural networks — unlike competitors such as Alphabet's Waymo, which employs lidar and radar-based systems. 🚨 BREAKING: Tesla's Robotaxi service, powered by FSD Unsupervised, is set to launch on June 1st! Just 31 days to go! 🚀 — Teslasti Basti (@BastianBraun121) May 1, 2025 'What will actually work best for the road system is artificial intelligence, digital neural nets and cameras,' he said. Waymo currently leads the market with 250,000 paid driverless trips per week in multiple US cities. Addressing recent challenges, including a 20% decline in Tesla's automotive revenue in Q1 2025, Musk attributed the slump to factory retooling ahead of a refreshed Model Y launch. He claimed a strong rebound in demand is already underway. Musk also confirmed his commitment to leading Tesla for at least the next five years, despite his growing political involvement and roles at SpaceX and AI startup xAI.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Tesla robotaxis will be on Austin roads this June, says Elon Musk
The Brief Elon Musk says Tesla's robotaxis will be launched on Austin roads by the end of next month Musk stated this in an interview with CNBC Tuesday The service will start with about 10 vehicles, then expand to thousands AUSTIN, Texas - Austinites can still expect to see Tesla's robotaxis driving alongside them come next month, says Elon Musk. Musk dropped the news in an interview Tuesday with CNBC at Tesla's headquarters in Austin. What we know Musk outlined the plan for the robotaxi service, saying it will start by the end of June with about 10 vehicles in Austin, then expand to thousands of vehicles should that launch go well with no incidents. CNBC reports that Tesla has said the robotaxis will be Model Y vehicles equipped with "a forthcoming version of FSD (full self-driving) known as FSD Unsupervised. An FSD Supervised ride-hailing service has been available for an "early set of employees" in Austin and San Francisco since April. Tesla unveils self-driving CyberCab, shows off Optimus robot at event Tesla's Austin 'Robotaxi' plan raises questions from U.S. safety agency The cars will be geo-fenced to Austin to start, but will operate without a human safety driver, says Musk. Instead, Tesla employees will be remotely monitoring the fleet. What's next Musk said in the interview that the company aims to take its robotaxis to Los Angeles and San Francisco after Austin. Big picture view Tesla is not the first company to bring robotaxi services to Austin. Currently, Waymo operates through Uber and also offers Waymo One, a public fully autonomous ride-hailing service that operates 24/7 with no human driver in the front seat. New safety concerns about Waymo driverless cars Caught on video: Waymo driverless car avoids hitting person falling off scooter Waymo driverless cars in Austin slammed with complaints Zoox, a subsidiary of Amazon, currently operates in Las Vegas with plans to expand to Austin, Miami and San Francisco. Zoox started testing its fleet in Austin last summer. Cruise, which was owned by General Motors, suspended their driverless operations in 2023 after reports of their autonomous cars struggling in traffic and even running over a pedestrian in California. That suspension later became permanent when the company announced it would not be relaunching the service after GM announced its full acquisition. Dig deeper Tesla's plan has prompted a U.S. agency to ask the company a list of safety questions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) made their letter to Tesla public on May 12. The letter formally asks the company to address numerous concerns with automated driving specifications for the automated vehicles, including those involving interactions with pedestrians and adjustments to changing weather conditions. The letter says Tesla may be fined up to $27,874 per day if the agency does not receive a prompt response, with a maximum fine of $139,356,994. The NHTSA says a response is due by June 19. The Source Information in this report comes from CNBC, the websites of Waymo and Zoox, and previous reporting from FOX 7 Austin
