Tesla has begun offering fully driverless robotaxi rides in the United States without a safety monitor on board, marking a first for an autonomous vehicle operator, as the electric carmaker expands testing of its self-driving technology in Texas.
The service uses Tesla Model Y vehicles running a dedicated software branch the company calls “unsupervised FSD,” distinct from the supervised Full Self-Driving system available to retail customers. Tesla said it is starting operations in Austin, where state regulations do not specifically restrict the deployment of autonomous vehicles without a human supervisor.
For now, the company is limiting the unsupervised service to Austin, while blending it with supervised rides during the early phase of the rollout. Tesla plans to gradually increase the share of trips conducted without any safety monitor in the vehicle, with passengers as the only occupants.
See also: Tesla Drops Free Autopilot Features as it Pushes FSD Subscriptions
Tesla has also restricted rider interaction with vehicle controls during these trips. According to the company, it is confident enough in the system’s safety that passengers are not allowed to touch the steering wheel. If riders attempt to intervene repeatedly, the vehicle may pull over. As described in the announcement, Tesla is offering “truly unsupervised Model Y rides” on its robotaxi platform.
The move comes as Tesla looks to broaden commercial use of its self-driving software and integrate private vehicles into the robotaxi network later this year. The company has also shared FSD safety statistics with insurers, including Lemonade, which is launching an autonomous vehicle insurance product that offers lower premiums for miles driven using Tesla’s self-driving system rather than by human drivers.
Source: EVMagz