Elon Musk confirmed via X that the first unsupervised robotaxi rides in Austin began on Thursday for Tesla (TSLA). Social media accounts had posted videos of robotaxis without human safety monitors earlier in the day.
The breakthrough came about six months after the initial date that Elon Musk had suggested unsupervised robotaxi rides would be available. He maintained Tesla (TSLA) was being abundantly cautious for the full robotaxi roll-out due to the high stakes involved.
Shares of Tesla (TSLA) were up 3.5% in Thursday afternoon trading. The stock is less than 1% from being break-even for 2026.