Tesla's Robotaxi service may soon remove human safety monitors from its vehicles, with the aim to become fully autonomous.
The plan was revealed during a third-quarter earnings call, according to Spectrum News. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the Robotaxi service could begin offering trips without safety monitors within the coming months.
A limited version of the Robotaxi service kicked off in Austin, Texas, back in June. A safety monitor sits in the passenger seat during each trip, per CNBC. New driverless vehicle regulations later meant the monitor had to shift to the driver's seat for highway trips.
Musk previously announced plans to make autonomous ride-hailing available for half of the United States population. Now, Tesla's CEO said he expects the service to be operating in eight to 10 metro areas by the end of 2025.
"Even one accident will be front-page headline news worldwide," Musk said. "It's better for us to take a cautious approach here."
Musk specifically mentioned states like Nevada, Florida, and Arizona as locations to expand the Robotaxi service, per Spectrum News. Waymo, a competing autonomous ride-hailing service, already has vehicles available in five U.S. markets.
Tesla's Robotaxi service had a rough start in the Lone Star State. Safety regulators launched an investigation after passengers shared videos online that showed the vehicles malfunctioning on the road.
The company is also still dealing with financial woes. During the Q3 earnings call, Tesla reported a 37% decrease in profits compared to the same period in 2024. However, the company did produce and deliver a record number of EVs during the quarter.
An uptick in EVs on the road is a good sign for the environment. EVs produce zero tailpipe pollution — they don't even have a tailpipe — which means they don't negatively impact air quality when out on the road.
They are also much more energy-efficient than gas-powered cars, per the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. While grid-provided electricity is still heavily reliant on dirty fuels, it's still much better for the environment than burning gasoline or diesel, especially as renewable sources are increasingly contributing to energy production.
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