Tesla’s robotaxi service might have had some early hitches, however the firm mentioned it simply efficiently delivered a automobile autonomously. Utilizing the identical robotaxi know-how, Tesla confirmed the supply technique of a Mannequin Y from its Gigafactory Texas in Austin to a buyer with a roughly 30-minute journey as seen in a video posted on X. In contrast to the robotaxi service launch final week, the automated supply had no security monitor, nor anybody behind the wheel. Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, additionally posted on X that the supply did not have any “distant operators in management at any level.”
The journey covers navigating by the whole lot from the Gigafactory Texas’ parking zone to metropolis streets, even managing to deal with the freeway with none incidents. This supply comes simply after Tesla’s rollout of its robotaxi service in Austin, with Musk promising that the “first Tesla that drives itself from manufacturing unit finish of line all the best way to a buyer home is June 28.” Whereas spectacular, it is not the primary time {that a} absolutely autonomous automobile has used the freeway, since Waymo began permitting its staff entry to self-driving rides on Los Angeles freeways earlier this yr.
Tesla’s competing robotaxi service hasn’t been with out its hiccups. As seen in a 10-mile journey posted on X, the Mannequin Y utilizing the robotaxi software program struggled to make a left flip and corrected its course by coming into the opposite aspect of the highway briefly. In one other launch day video, the robotaxi was seen braking arduous twice after encountering police vehicles with their lights on, though not one of the emergency automobiles have been on the highway. The robotaxi pilot program has caught the eye of the Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration, which mentioned that it reached out to Tesla for extra details about these incidents. On high of the robotaxi issues, current demonstrations confirmed Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software program failing to cease for a college bus’ flashing lights and cease indicators, in addition to for kid-sized mannequins who dart into the highway.
