A video of a Tesla Model Y Juniper driving around without a driver in the driver’s seat was uploaded by X user @TerrapinTerpene this week. It looks like a regular black Model Y at first, until you notice a Robotaxi logo on the front door. Tailing the black Robotaxi Juniper was another white Juniper following behind, but this one had a regular driver – the assumption is that it was a car full of Tesla employees on standby in case something went wrong with the robotaxi.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk took to the X platform to share some info about this particular Robotaxi prototype. According to Musk, it’s a standard production Model Y that rolled off the factory floor, but with a special version of the software that will be released to public soon.
HOLY CRAP ITS A #ROBOTAXI!!@SawyerMerritt @WholeMarsBlog @DirtyTesLa @niccruzpatane pic.twitter.com/slfAsu0AQl
— Terrapin Terpene Col (@TerrapinTerpene) June 10, 2025
As for Robotaxi public rides? He says tentatively it is scheduled to begin on June 22. He also added that on June 28, a Tesla will be driving itself straight off the factory floor to the customer’s house. Teslas currently already move autonomously inside the factory, moving from one part of the production line to another.
While this new version of the FSD software that allows unsupervised Robotaxi operation already seems to work well enough, Musk reveals that an even more advanced version with 400-450% more parameters is currently in alpha stage, but will only be ready to be tested in a few months.
Looks like the Robotaxi roll-out will begin with existing Tesla models. Previously, Tesla unveiled a specialised two-door Robotaxi model with no steering wheel at the We, Robot event in 2024. That model isn’t quite ready yet, obviously.
GALLERY: Tesla Robotaxi
The post ‘Unsupervised’ Tesla Robotaxi based on new Model Y sighted on test, public rides to begin June 22 appeared first on Paul Tan’s Automotive News.
