Tesla’s Unsupervised Robotaxi Count IS Growing

Tesla’s unsupervised robotaxi fleet is showing signs of incremental growth, with the number of active vehicles increasing modestly across several US cities. According to data from the Robotaxi Tracker website, there are currently 39 unsupervised Tesla robotaxis operating, predominantly in Austin, Texas, where 27 vehicles are active without safety drivers. Additionally, Tesla has begun deploying small numbers of unsupervised robotaxis in Dallas and Houston, marking an expansion beyond its initial Austin pilot. While no unsupervised vehicles are yet operating in the San Francisco Bay Area, Tesla plans to launch fleets in cities such as Tampa, Miami, Orlando, Phoenix, and Las Vegas later this year. Despite these developments, Tesla’s robotaxi programme remains far behind competitors like Waymo, Baidu, and Pony.ai, which operate driverless fleets numbering in the thousands. Industry observers highlight that Tesla currently has only 64 robotaxis across three locations, with fewer than 40 operating without safety drivers, compared to Waymo’s 1,300-plus fully driverless vehicles. This slow rollout contrasts sharply with the rapid scaling efforts of rival companies, raising questions about Tesla’s ability to catch up and deliver a reliable, large-scale robotaxi service in the near term. Safety and operational challenges continue to hamper Tesla’s progress. CEO Elon Musk has acknowledged that the main obstacle is not accidents but the vehicles’ tendency to disrupt traffic or become stuck in loops rather than disengaging properly. Over the past year, 30 incidents involving Tesla robotaxis have been reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, including collisions resulting in major injuries and property damage. Although the sample size is small, the frequency of incidents raises concerns about the maturity and readiness of Tesla’s autonomous technology for widespread deployment. The ongoing debate around Tesla’s robotaxi ambitions centres on whether the company can overcome technical hurdles and scale its service effectively in 2026. Supporters remain optimistic that Tesla will soon reach a tipping point and surpass competitors, while sceptics view current deployments as underwhelming and question the viability of the technology. With several years of missed targets behind it, Tesla faces pressure to demonstrate meaningful progress this year, but whether this will satisfy investors or the market remains uncertain. The coming months are likely to be a critical period for assessing Tesla’s true potential in the autonomous ride-hailing sector.