Tesla is gearing up for a major expansion of its Robotaxi ride-hailing service across the United States, with new job listings hinting at plans to bring the service to several new cities. The company has recently posted openings for Autopilot Vehicle Operators in various locations, indicating that these markets are next in line for the Robotaxi service.
Some of the cities listed in the job postings include Brooklyn, NY; Houston and Farmers Branch, TX; Tempe, AZ; Henderson, NV; Tampa, Clermont, and Miami, FL; and Palo Alto, CA. The inclusion of cities like Brooklyn and Miami suggests that Tesla is actively preparing to expand its paid ride-hailing service beyond its current operating zones.
Until recently, Tesla had job listings for only three cities and operated Robotaxis within a limited area of Austin. However, the company has since expanded its service to the San Francisco Bay Area, covering a larger region from San Francisco to San Jose.
In addition to its geographical expansion, Tesla has also introduced dynamic pricing for Robotaxi rides, replacing the previous flat fare with a per-mile rate that adjusts based on distance. This move is aimed at supporting larger coverage areas and positioning the service competitively against traditional ride-hailing apps like Uber.
By using safety drivers in early operations, Tesla can kick off paid service and gather valuable driving data before regulatory approval for fully driverless deployment. This approach helps accelerate development and enhance the performance of the Robotaxi software on a larger scale.
With Tesla already launching Robotaxi operations in a second city shortly after the pilot in Austin, it is evident that the company’s autonomous ambitions are rapidly progressing. The quick expansion of the Robotaxi service indicates Tesla’s commitment to revolutionizing the transportation industry with self-driving technology.