Tesla plans to remove human drivers from its Robotaxis by the end of 2025.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has set forth an ambitious timeline, promising that these autonomous EVs won't need a person in the driver's seat within just a few months.
As Teslarati reported, Elon Musk said that Tesla would remove its employees from the driver's seats of its Robotaxis by the end of the year. This change could apply to Robotaxis in both Austin and the Bay Area.
I did some great @robotaxi rides, including extensive highway time here in Austin with Paul @schokopaule who is visiting from Frankfurt Germany!
— Joe Tegtmeyer 🚀 🤠🛸😎 (@JoeTegtmeyer) September 11, 2025
Not only had he never experienced @Tesla_AI FSD or Robotaxi before, but he got to see how the service works in the expanded service… pic.twitter.com/P8wJYxfq6X
"The safety driver is just there for the first few months to be extra safe," Musk wrote in a post to the social media platform X. "Should be no safety driver by end of year."
Thus far, Tesla has prioritized rider safety by using safety drivers in its Robotaxis. The purpose of the human driver is to take over in the event of an autonomous driving malfunction and provide reassurance to riders with a human backup.
Some people have criticized Tesla for being overly paranoid about Robotaxi operation and not confident enough in its fully self-driving capabilities. However, any adverse incidents have the potential to derail the broader self-driving vehicle momentum and even impact people's perceptions of EVs more generally.
Other criticisms have arisen about Elon Musk's failed promises, as he has notoriously pitched timelines that aren't met. Yet, Tesla has been continuously working to advance its self-driving technology, addressing safety concerns and improving safety features with software updates and vehicle modifications.
Whether or not you feel comfortable yet riding in a Tesla Robotaxi, you can still embrace sustainable, clean-energy driving with an EV.
Owning and driving an EV is among the best things you can do to save money on gas and maintenance costs while helping the planet. EVs pollute considerably less than traditional cars and help reduce planet-overheating pollution since they don't release tailpipe pollution.
You can make your EV even more sustainable by charging it with solar panels at home. It's also more cost-effective to charge at home rather than relying on public charging stations.
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People have mixed feelings about Tesla's upcoming removal of safety drivers and shared their opinions in the comments of the Teslarati article.
"Having a safety driver is not a point of criticism for Tesla critics," one Teslarati reader commented. "Tesla FSD not being good enough is the point of criticism."
"If Tesla started without a safety driver/monitor, the same people would call it reckless and dangerous regardless if it was good enough," another person wrote.
"Musk turned up the promise hype again, which simply means nothing," someone else added.
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