Deployment
Tesla Robotaxi (Model Y ADS) at Houston
Tesla's robotaxi service vehicle — a 2026 Model Y operating with Tesla's Autonomous Driving System (ADS, based on Full Self-Driving) engaged. In Austin, some vehicles operate unsupervised (no in-car safety monitor); in the Bay Area, a safety driver is present as required by California law. A teleoperator can remotely assist/pilot a vehicle at speeds under 10 mph for repositioning. Tesla's purpose-built, steering-wheel-free Cybercab — intended as the dedicated robotaxi vehicle at scale — was expected to begin production around April 2026 (not yet the deployed service vehicle as of early 2026). Maturity: pilot (early commercial service under heavy supervision and scrutiny; not yet at-scale).
Tesla Robotaxi (Model Y ADS) by Tesla · Catalog entry · 2 sources · not yet field-verified
Operator: Tesla, robotaxi ride-hailing service launched in Houston on April 18, 2026 — part of Tesla's first expansion beyond Austin and the San Francisco Bay Area. The initial geofence covers approximately 25 square miles (per early user analysis of Tesla's published maps). Tesla disclosed no fleet size, supervision status, or pricing at launch; vehicles are likely Model Ys with in-car safety monitors. As of late May 2026, Robotaxi Tracker reported ~3 active unsupervised vehicles in Houston — unchanged from launch. Notably, the service shuts down during rain, a meaningful limitation given Houston averages 100+ rainy days per year.
Context: Waymo has operated in Houston since February 2026 with fully driverless vehicles. Figures are attributed to Tesla's announcement and Robotaxi Tracker, not independently audited.
Key facts
- Launched
- April 18, 2026
- Geofence
- ~25 sq mi
- Active vehicles
- ~3 (May 2026, per Robotaxi Tracker) — unchanged since launch
- Limitation
- Service suspends in rain (Houston: 100+ rainy days/yr)
- Trust tier
- Catalog entry · 2 sources · not yet field-verified
- Last updated
- 2026-05-26
- Model
- Tesla Robotaxi (Model Y ADS)
- Company
- Tesla
- Location
- Houston
- Status
- active
- First seen
- 2026-04-18
- ID
68771967-fe05-4fb1-a565-7d3521cbbf9e
Verifications (0)
No verifications recorded yet.
Sources (2)
- Tesla robotaxi Houston launch Apr 18 2026, ~25 sq mi, rain-limited, no fleet details · https://electrek.co/2026/04/18/tesla-robotaxi-launches-dallas-houston-small-geofences/ · 2026-04-18
- Houston stuck at 3 active vehicles since launch · https://electrek.co/2026/05/26/tesla-robotaxi-fleet-shrinking-not-growing/ · 2026-05-26
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