Tesla not permitted to roll out robotaxi service in SF
Digest more
Elon Musk had more bold projections for Tesla's robotaxi. But investors didn't get much insight on the Austin launch during Wednesday's earnings call.
Tesla just updated its autonomous Robotaxi coverage map in Austin, Texas. The service area is similar to rival Waymo’s map but extends coverage. Customers noticed what could be a somewhat intentional shape to the map.
On Monday, Tesla posted a picture of the robotaxi's new coverage area within Austin, focusing mainly on moving north up I-35 and a wider swath of South Austin below Lady Bird Lake. And it looks like a penis. "Harder, better, faster, stronger," the company's official robotaxi account posted on X, alongside a photo of the map.
1don MSN
The Tesla CEO said the company expects to expand their autonomous driver service to include customer-owned cars.
An upside-down Tesla “T”? An upraised middle finger? Something else? The geofenced boundaries of the EV maker’s new Austin service area are drawing laughs and criticism.
For comparison, Alphabet's Waymo covers a roughly equal, but far less penile-shaped area of Austin. Musk recently announced the Robotaxi project's expansion in Austin, and added that the Robotaxi service may expand to the Bay Area "in a month or two." We shudder to think which shape the Robotaxi geofenced area may take over there.
Tesla has started giving rides in driverless Model Y SUVs in Austin. Details are still sparse, but limited service is open to vetted and invited riders.
Waymo’s robotaxis are fully driverless and expanding fast, while Tesla’s service is still limited and invite-only. The gap is bigger than you think.