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Tesla Starts Robotaxi Service in Dallas and Houston With Tight Geofences

The lack of basic metrics invites scrutiny next to a rival already operating fully driverless in both cities.

Overview

  • Tesla said Saturday it is rolling out robotaxis in Dallas and Houston and shared videos of Model Y rides with no one in the front seats.
  • The launches fulfill part of Tesla's seven-city first-half 2026 pledge, with Houston limited to roughly 25 square miles and Dallas centered on Highland Park.
  • Tesla did not disclose fleet size, whether rides are supervised or unsupervised, or pricing, leaving the scale and safety model unclear.
  • In Austin, recent reporting counted only 4 to 12 unsupervised cars out of about 80 and NHTSA records list 15 crashes, with Tesla redacting crash narratives as confidential.
  • Alphabet’s Waymo has offered paid, fully driverless service in both Texas cities since February and reports about 2,500 active robotaxis and roughly 500,000 weekly rides nationwide.