Tesla Takes Robotaxis to Dallas and Houston, Expands Driverless Push Beyond Austin
Tesla is extending its robotaxi service to Dallas and Houston, the EV maker confirmed on Saturday, April 18, widening the footprint of its driverless operation in the U.S. after debuting in Austin last year.
The company’s official Robotaxi account on X announced the rollout and shared two clips of its Model Y SUVs operating in both Texas cities with no human driver or safety monitor in the front seats.
It also posted maps outlining the new service areas, but did not disclose fleet size or fare details.
“Try Tesla Robotaxi in Dallas & Houston!” CEO Elon Musk wrote, reposting the announcement.
The expansion comes as competition in the robotaxi space heats up, with Alphabet’s Waymo and Amazon’s Zoox accelerating their own rollouts.
For Tesla, scaling the robotaxi network and boosting adoption of its Full Self-Driving software is central to its growth plan.
Musk has shifted the company’s focus toward AI and robotics, moving beyond EVs. A large portion of Tesla’s $1.3 trillion valuation rests on that strategy.
Tesla first launched a limited robotaxi pilot in Austin with safety monitors and geofenced restrictions. It has since expanded the service zone and begun phasing out human monitors.
The company also started a ride-hailing service in the San Francisco Bay Area last year. Musk has pledged rapid U.S. expansion for robotaxis, though he has missed earlier targets of operating widely across multiple metro areas by the end of 2025.
