SMOOTH BUT GLITCHY

We're less than a year away from seeing “millions” of autonomous Teslas roaming the globe, if Elon Musk’s April earnings call prognostications hold true. How’s Full Self-Driving Unsupervised going? To find out, we flew to the first test market, Austin, Texas, and caught seven rides in the initial Model Y Robotaxi. (Austin is unique among American cities in offering a choice of autonomous ride-hailing services, as Waymo has a fleet of its Jaguar I-Pace cars available via the Uber app. So we resolved to attempt a comparison, beginning on page 86.) Note Tesla’s Robotaxi is not to be confused with its two-door Cybercab; rather, it’s based on a long-range dual-motor 2026 Model Y Juniper.

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Musk’s “millions” claim suggests a switch will eventually be thrown, allowing existing Tesla owners who purchased the pricey Full Self Driving hardware option to suddenly gain access to “unsupervised” FSD. This would allow them to send their cars out to work as taxis instead of baking in the office parking lot. But for now, there are some differences between the mass-produced Model Y and the Model Y Robotaxi.

“Project Halo” is the internal name of the effort to upfit the Model Y for Robotaxi duty, and it includes a subtle addition to the basic “Hardware 4” sensor suite. There’s a second communications and telematics unit to provide redundant and consistent high-bandwidth connectivity for precise GPS tracking. This additional unit also provides a robust connection to operators at the Robotaxi support command center, who can control the vehicle remotely if necessary, and it enables extra data collection during the launch. Tesla says it doesn't expect to need this second telecoms unit as it scales up. The software is thoroughly updated, and the rear screen is programmed to allow riders to share apps from their Tesla account.

In Austin, the Robotaxis all operate with a safety monitor riding shotgun. These folks are empowered to stop a ride and contact the control center if something goes wrong. They're allowed to answer questions about the ride, but customers are asked not to engage them in conversation. And for now, customers must be invited to the service, so the initial customer base is primarily limited to Tesla employees, prominent Teslarati, influencers, and members of the press.