Tesla Robotaxi launches in Dallas: How to ride and what it costs
Tesla Robotaxi launches in Dallas
DALLAS - The future of ridesharing has arrived in North Texas as Tesla officially rolls out its fully unsupervised Robotaxi service in Dallas and Houston. Starting Monday, users in select neighborhoods can hail a driverless ride directly through the Tesla app.
Tesla Robotaxi launches in Dallas
Local perspective:
The initial launch utilizes a fleet of Model Y vehicles equipped with Tesla’s latest autonomous software. While the service is currently focused on central neighborhoods and Highland Park in Dallas, the company’s purpose-built "Cybercab" is expected to join the fleet soon.
The service currently operates daily from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. local time. Early riders have reported significant savings, with some fares priced more than 50% lower than competing autonomous services.
Safety and performance concerns
The other side:
Despite the high-tech expansion, the rollout faces scrutiny following recent safety disclosures. In a federal regulatory filing earlier this year, Tesla reported its Austin-based fleet was involved in 14 crashes during its initial launch phase.
Riders and industry watchdogs have documented various performance issues, including sudden braking, improper lane changes and navigating over curbs. According to reports from FOX Business and passenger-filmed videos, these incidents occurred even in vehicles utilizing Tesla's most advanced autonomous software.
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How to Ride
What we know:
To book a ride, users must download the Tesla app and navigate to the Robotaxi tab. Once a destination is entered within the designated service area, the app provides a fare estimate and confirms the ride.
When the vehicle arrives, passengers can unlock the doors and start the trip via their smartphone. The app also allows for a personalized cabin experience, enabling riders to adjust climate settings, seat positioning and music streaming. These preferences are saved to a user profile and automatically apply to all future rides.
How much does a Tesla Robotaxi ride cost?
While Tesla has not yet released a permanent pricing sheet, early rides in Dallas are significantly cheaper than traditional rideshare services. The current introductory pricing in the Metroplex follows a formula of a $3.25 base fare plus $1.00 per mile, according to their website.
The Source: Information in this article comes from Tesla and previous reporting.