Tesla's Robotaxi rollout has been rocky at times, but the electric vehicle maker has now officially released an app for the service, Business Insider reports.
On Wednesday, Tesla's official Robotaxi account on X (@robotaxi) tweeted to confirm that the app had gone live.
"Robotaxi app now available to all," it began. "Download to join waitlist – expanding access soon." An appended image depicted a screenshot of the app on an iPhone, and a reply tweet from @robotaxi asserted that an Android version was "coming in the future."
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has a tendency to underestimate timelines when it comes to Tesla's tech; he first teased the prospect of fully autonomous, self-driving electric taxis back in 2019.
The CEO insisted the Robotaxi launch was imminent early this summer, a claim met with widespread doubt. Tesla's Robotaxis made their public debut in Austin in late July, but the event was smaller than expected and marred by apparent mishaps.
Tesla faced several high-profile controversies this year, and Musk's increasingly controversial public image harmed the brand by seeming to fracture the company's customer base among those who began to feel as though owning a Tesla would be a broader political statement. Tesla sales floundered at times due to political and economic headwinds.
The automaker's woes had the potential to discourage drivers from making the switch to an EV. That isn't ideal for consumers — as energy and electricity prices continue skyrocketing, electric vehicles, especially when paired with solar panels, are a straightforward way to keep those costs even lower.
Amid Tesla's latest news, some X users viewed the Robotaxi app announcement with skepticism. One person suggested that the tweet itself was confusing and misleading.
"'Available to all' and 'Join waitlist' are two totally separate things," the user replied. Others reported widespread glitches associated with attempts to join the waitlist.
"Seems like a lot of people are getting an access denied message … but others a successful one waitlist message," a commenter remarked, sharing an image of an error page.
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"I can't login. Own a Tesla and have a Tesla account," another said, also posting a screenshot of an error message.
However, by Thursday morning, the app had been ranked No. 1 in Travel on the App Store, and some Tesla fans were excited to join the waitlist.
"It's happening!!!" one replied.
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