Tesla ‘Robotaxi’ status check: 8 months in, 19% availability, and all of Musk’s promises are missing

Tesla launched its “Robotaxi” service in Austin, Texas, eight months ago, with ambitious promises from Elon Musk. He stated that by the end of 2025, the service would feature 500 cars in Austin, cover half of the U.S. population, provide fully unsupervised rides, and expand to 8-10 cities. However, none of these goals have been met. Currently, the service operates with approximately 42 cars in Austin, and its availability is reported to be below 20% (Tesla ‘Robotaxi’ status check). The safety record of the Robotaxi service has raised significant concerns. The vehicles have been involved in 14 crashes since their launch in June 2025, with five new incidents reported in the past month. This crash rate is noted to be more than four times worse than that of human drivers, with some reports indicating that the crash rate is nine times worse than that of human drivers (Electrek, CBS News). Additionally, one of the earlier crashes was upgraded to include a hospitalization injury, which Tesla did not disclose publicly (Electrek). The overall trend regarding the Robotaxi service does not appear to be improving. The data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates that the incidents are accumulating without a corresponding enhancement in safety or performance (Electrek). As of now, the promises made by Musk regarding the Robotaxi service remain unfulfilled, raising questions about the future of this initiative.