Tesla Tests Driverless Model Y Ahead of Robotaxi Reveal

Tesla is pushing ahead with its autonomous driving ambitions. Recently, CEO Elon Musk announced that the company is testing a few fully autonomous (driverless) Tesla Model Y on the streets of Austin, Texas.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk noted that the trials have been incident-free and that the first unit is now expected to be delivered in June.

Earlier this year, Musk had indicated the initial rollout would involve a small fleet of 10 to 20 vehicles, with testing originally slated to begin toward the end of June. However, the timeline has now been moved up, fueling speculation around the company's long-rumored robotaxi launch.

While Musk didn’t confirm a firm launch date, reports are that Tesla is targeting June 12 for the official debut of its robotaxi service in Austin.

Previously, Reuters also reported that Tesla has quietly scrapped plans for its long-anticipated affordable EV - the Tesla “Model 2” so that the budget can concentrate on autonomous driving technology and the robotaxi platform.

Musk has long touted self-driving vehicles as the future of transportation, though his product roadmap has frequently shifted in response to evolving market dynamics and internal priorities.

The cancellation of the budget-friendly Model 2 marks a significant change for Tesla, which had once positioned the vehicle as a key component of its broader mission to accelerate global EV adoption.

This latest development comes as Tesla faces mounting challenges as global sales soften. Musk announced on Wednesday that he was stepping down from his advisory role in the Trump administration.