Tesla appears to be bending to the will of regulators.
In a visible sign of its shifting posture from daredevil innovation to cautious compliance, Tesla this week relocated its robotaxi safety monitors, employees who supervise the autonomous software’s performance and can take over the vehicle’s operation at any moment, from the passenger seat to the driver’s seat.
Tesla’s Robotaxi service represents one of the company’s most ambitious and long-delayed projects.
First teased by Chief Executive Elon Musk in 2019, the autonomous ride-hailing fleet has been pitched as a cornerstone of Tesla’s future business model, potentially rivaling Uber and Lyft while generating recurring revenue from idle vehicles.
After years of shifting timelines and regulatory skepticism, the current rollout in Austin, Texas, marks the first real-world test of the service. Riders access the Robotaxi through the Tesla app, selecting trips in a way that mimics traditional ride-hailing platforms, but with a company-provided vehicle rather than their own.
For now, the program is confined to Austin, where Tesla relocated its headquarters in 2021, and it operates under strict state rules that require a safety driver in the car. While Tesla has ambitions to expand the service nationwide, the Austin launch offers a crucial test of whether its self-driving technology is ready for commercial scale, and whether regulators and the public are ready to embrace it.
Tesla’s new Robotaxi change, timed with the service’s expansion onto highways, was triggered by new state regulations and Tesla’s elevated ambitions.
Safety monitors are only in the driver's seat for trips that involve highway driving, as a self-imposed cautious first step toward expanding to highways — Tesla Robotaxi (@robotaxi) September 4, 2025
What does the law say?
Texas SB 2807, signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott and effective Sept. 1, 2025, establishes the Lone Star State’s first comprehensive regulatory framework for fully autonomous (driverless) vehicles.
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