Live from a Tesla robotaxi: Farzad Mesbahi calls in from Austin's first paid driverless ride
Jun 23, 2025 with Farzad Mesbahi
Key Points
- Tesla launches paid robotaxi service in Austin using unmodified Model Y vehicles, undercutting Waymo's hardware-heavy autonomy approach with software-first scaling.
- Tesla produces as many Model Ys every five hours as Waymo operates in its entire fleet, giving Tesla a structural cost-per-mile advantage if autonomous software proves reliable at scale.
- Tesla seeds early access to closely followed creators while collecting public demand via waitlist, gathering market signals before broad rollout.
Summary
Farzad Mesbahi called in live from the back of a Tesla robotaxi in Austin on June 23rd during his fifth paid driverless ride of the day, describing what Tesla's commercial autonomous launch looks and feels like in practice.
The ride cost $4.20. The vehicle is a standard Model Y, indistinguishable from the $38,000 consumer version, with no visible aftermarket sensors or hardware modifications. Waymo built its autonomy stack around specialized, expensive sensor suites. Tesla is doing it with the same car it manufactures at scale for retail buyers.
Scale gap vs. Waymo
Mesbahi estimates Tesla makes as many Model Ys every five hours as Waymo has in its entire fleet. If the software holds up at scale, the cost-per-mile economics would be structurally different from anything Waymo can offer. The launch is deliberately small, with fewer than 10 cars currently operating inside a tight geofenced area of Austin.
Access is invite-only. Tesla seeded a small group of closely followed enthusiasts and commentators for early rides, while simultaneously collecting waitlist signups from the public via zip code, phone number, and email as a de facto demand survey before any broad rollout.
The driving experience is essentially FSD with the seat empty. Smooth and unremarkable in execution, it feels familiar to anyone who has watched Tesla's FSD progress. The psychological jolt comes purely from the absence of a human behind the wheel.
Tesla stock was up 9% on the day of the launch.