Texans may soon be seeing more driverless vehicles across the Lone Star State after Tesla Robotaxis received approval to hit the road without human safety drivers.
According to Drive Tesla, a new Texas autonomous vehicle law required the service to obtain a permit from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Now, Tesla Robotaxi LLC is licensed to operate statewide until Aug. 6, 2026.
A limited version of the service launched in Austin back in June with a small fleet of Model Y vehicles and onboard safety operators. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the Robotaxi service will open to the general public in September. However, there is no word on when the EV automaker will move forward with fully autonomous rides, per Drive Tesla Canada.
While the Robotaxi service expands in Texas, Tesla sales have been dropping in many parts of the world. In July, new Tesla registrations dropped by nearly 60% in the United Kingdom and fell 55% in Germany, according to MarketWatch. However, Tesla's Model Y and Model 3 still made up 43% of all EVs sold in the United States during Q2.
EVs are expected to account for more than a quarter of all vehicles sold globally this year, per the International Energy Agency. In the first quarter of 2025, EV sales were already up 35% year-on-year.
The growing popularity of EVs benefits the environment because the planet-friendly vehicles produce zero tailpipe pollution. While the electricity used for charging may create carbon pollution, they are still much more efficient than gas-powered cars, per the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — responsible for about half as much carbon pollution per mile driven, according to MIT. Drivers can also save hundreds of dollars a year on gas and maintenance.
Installing solar panels at home is another way EV drivers can keep money in their pockets. Fueling with solar energy is more affordable than using public charging stations or relying on the grid. For those considering going solar, EnergySage allows homeowners to compare quotes from local installers and save up to $10,000 on dollar installations.
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