Tesla has begun operating fully autonomous vehicles in Austin, Texas, without visible safety drivers inside the cars. CEO Elon Musk announced the launch on Thursday, claiming “no safety monitor in the car.” However, the reality may be more nuanced than his statement suggests.
The “Unsupervised” Claim
Tesla’s official X account described the service as “full unsupervised,” which implies no human oversight. Yet, video footage from Tesla enthusiast Joe Tegtmeyer reveals a black Tesla Model Y trailing the autonomous Robotaxi throughout its test rides. Tegtmeyer suggests this “chase car” may contain personnel ready to intervene if the Robotaxi encounters issues.
Safety Monitors or Validation?
Neither Musk nor Tesla has clarified the purpose of the trailing vehicle. This ambiguity raises questions about the true level of autonomy. Is Tesla simply shifting safety oversight to a nearby vehicle, effectively maintaining human intervention while avoiding the optics of a visible driver? Or is the trailing car merely for data validation? The lack of transparency makes it impossible to verify the claim of “full unsupervised” operation.
Context: Tesla vs. Waymo
This launch comes as Tesla accelerates its push toward full self-driving, despite ongoing scrutiny over safety and regulatory hurdles. Meanwhile, Waymo, Tesla’s primary competitor, is already providing fully autonomous rides in six U.S. cities, including Miami. Waymo’s approach has been slower but more deliberate, focusing on proven safety before widespread deployment.
What This Means
Tesla’s Robotaxi launch in Austin could be a strategic move to demonstrate technological advancement while navigating regulatory ambiguity. If the trailing car does contain safety monitors, Musk’s claim of “no safety monitor” is technically correct but misleading. The situation underscores the industry’s ongoing struggle to balance innovation with public safety.
Whether Tesla will eventually operate truly unsupervised Robotaxis remains to be seen. For now, this launch may be more about marketing than a genuine leap in autonomous technology.
