Tesla Robotaxi videos show Elon's way behind Waymo

Video On Monday, Elon Musk proudly launched his often-promised Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, but early videos shot by riders show how far the service lags behind Waymo.

Back in 2019, Musk predicted that a million self-driving Tesla taxis would roam America's streets by the next year. In fact, the service debuted in 2025 with reportedly around ten rebadged Model Y Teslas. Tesla limited operation to a geofenced section of Austin, and so far only operates in daylight. No sign yet of the concept Robovan Musk showed off at an event last year.

Tesla invited a select few influencers who are passionate supporters of Elon Musk's car business to try the service. Although the resulting reviews were almost universally positive, the videos shot in the taxi show a passenger - described as a "safety monitor" – rode in the cars to provide tech support and perhaps to press an emergency ...