In ramping up robotaxi service, Tesla is hoping to slingshot past Waymo, another autonomous car service that operates in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Austin, according to its website. Last week, Waymo applied for a permit to test its vehicles in New York City.

Tesla shared its intention to launch its robotaxis in Austin on June 22, but several Texas lawmakers are asking the automaker to hold off until months from now. In a letter sent to Tesla's director of field reliability Eddie Gates,