Tesla Begins Autonomous Taxi Service Trial in Texas Amid Safety Challenges

Tesla will start a trial of its autonomous taxi service in Austin, Texas next Sunday, with limited invitations to a small group of people.

A company employee will accompany passengers in the front seat during the trip to ensure safety, as the cars will be monitored remotely.

The trial will focus on using about 10 Model Y cars equipped with a version of the full self-driving software, which relies primarily on cameras and artificial intelligence without additional sensors like lidar or radar.

However, industry experts doubt the effectiveness of this technology, especially in challenging weather conditions such as fog, heavy rain, or bright sunlight that may affect safety.

Passengers must be 18 years or older to use the service, and the start of operations may be delayed or the service may be limited in bad weather conditions.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk and Tesla are facing protests in Austin over the autonomous taxi plans, with Democratic lawmakers in the city calling for a delay in launching the service until next September, coinciding with the implementation of a new law regulating autonomous vehicles in Texas.

This move comes as Tesla shifts from a company focusing on low-cost electric vehicles to one relying on robots and artificial intelligence, with a major bet on developing self-driving technology to expand its presence in the car market.