Musk Says Tesla Will Double Austin Robotaxi Fleet After Fans Complain

  • Elon Musk said Tesla’s robotaxi fleet in Austin should roughly double by next month.
  • Tesla fans have complained about long wait times and high demand, with one calling the service “essentially unusable.”
  • Musk said last month that Tesla aims to have 500 robotaxis on the road in Austin by the end of the year.

Elon Musk says Tesla is hitting the accelerator on its robotaxi rollout in Austin.

The billionaire wrote in a post on X late on Tuesday that Tesla aims to “roughly double” the size of its robotaxi fleet in Austin next month, after some fans complained that soaring demand from new users had left the service almost unusable.

It comes as Tesla races to expand its robotaxi operations and meet Musk’s ambitious timelines.

The Tesla CEO told investors last month that he wants self-driving taxis on the road in eight to 10 US metro areas by the end of the year.

Tesla launched its robotaxi service in Austin in June and opened a ride-hailing operation in San Francisco a month later.

The company’s vehicles in Austin have human safety monitors in the passenger seat, while regulatory hurdles mean Tesla’s Bay Area service operates with drivers ready to take the wheel.

Speaking on the “All-In” podcast last month, Musk said that Tesla would aim to increase its robotaxi fleet size to 500 cars in Austin and 1,000 in the Bay Area by the end of the year.

Tesla has not disclosed how many robotaxis it has on the road in Austin right now. A community tracker run by Austin-based robotaxi watcher Ethan McKenna estimates that the company has around 29 distinct vehicles serving autonomous rides in the city.

Earlier this month, Tesla removed its waitlist for the robotaxi app and fully opened the service to the public. Since then, a number of Tesla fans have complained on X about increased wait times and shortages of available vehicles due to a deluge of new users.

Despite hitting speed bumps in Austin, Tesla is continuing its robotaxi expansion at pace. The company recently cleared key regulatory hurdles in Nevada and Arizona, and is going on a hiring spree as it races to meet Musk’s end-of-year deadline.

Tesla did not respond to a request for comment, sent outside normal working hours.

Visited 1 times, 1 visit(s) today

Related Article

Donald Trump explores military options in Iran as violence escalates

Updated Jan. 11, 2026, 10:13 p.m. ET WASHINGTON, DC — President Donald Trump said he’s considering military options in Iran and following through on his threat to attack the Iranian regime after anti-government protests in the country have turned increasingly deadly. “The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options.

Trump ‘inclined’ to block Exxon Mobil from investing in Venezuela

Jan. 11, 2026, 9:25 p.m. ET President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he might block Exxon Mobil from investing in Venezuela after the company’s CEO called the country “uninvestable” during a White House meeting last week. Exxon CEO Darren Woods told Trump that Venezuela would need to change its laws before it could be an attractive investment opportunity, during a White

Trump says he will talk to Musk about restoring internet in Iran

By Rachael Levy WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan 11 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said ​on Sunday that he plans to ‌speak with billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk about restoring ‌internet in Iran, where authorities blacked out service amid ongoing anti-government protests. “He’s very good at that kind of thing, he’s got ⁠a very ‌good company,” Trump

National Portrait Gallery makes changes to Trump part of ‘America’s Presidents’ exhibit

The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery has replaced a photo of President Donald Trump and reportedly a caption that accompanied it — erasing mentions of Trump’s two impeachments and the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. The new portrait, displayed in the gallery’s “America’s Presidents” exhibit, was posted on X by the White House on Saturday. The Washington

Celebrities wear pins protesting ICE on the Golden Globes red carpet

Some celebrities donned anti-ICE pins at the Golden Globes on Sunday in tribute to Renee Good, who was shot and killed in her car by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer this week in Minneapolis. The black-and-white pins displayed slogans like “BE GOOD” and “ICE OUT,” introducing a political angle into the awards show after

Trump threatened GOP senators who voted for war powers resolution in ‘angry’ calls

Hours after the Senate voted to advance the war powers resolution rebuking the White House’s current and future actions in Venezuela, President Donald Trump placed “angry” calls to each of the five Republicans who crossed the aisle, according to people with knowledge of the calls. Sens. Josh Hawley, R-Mo.; Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska; Rand Paul, R-Ky.;

MAGA Turns on Trump Over Luxury Resort Design

Some of Donald Trump’s own supporters appear fed up with what they see as his shaky grasp of the economic reality. The president, 79, faced backlash on Sunday after he flaunted the grand entrance to his sprawling Mar-a-Lago estate in a Truth Social post—just days after a disastrous jobs report and amid an affordability crisis.

Alabama Democrat group back with another controversial anti-Trump billboard

A Birmingham-area grassroots organization is back with another digital billboard with provocative imagery to highlight their disdain of President Donald Trump and recent events including the U.S. intervention in Venezuela. The recent digital billboard north on the Red Mountain Expressway near Highland Avenue features Trump with an outreached hand and the caption, “Grabber. Taking whatever

2026 Walt Disney World Marathon Brings Influencers, Celebrities & More Out

January 11, 2026|Author: Stephanie Swaim The runDisney event, which took place Jan. 7-11 at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, has been beloved by many celebrities over the past years, including “Bachelor” star Matt James, who ran in the half marathon (13.1 miles) race back in 2024. “i was the shortest AND slowest avatar at

Jeff Bezos Once Faced A Dilemma Over Quitting His Job To Pursue Starting Amazon, His Boss Said This To Him During A Walk In The Park – Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN)

Jeff Bezos once revealed that before Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) ever existed, he had a candid conversation with his boss during a long walk in New York that could have stopped the company before it began. A Two-Hour Walk That Nearly Changed Amazon’s History Bezos, speaking in an interview with the Academy of Achievement in 2001,

Live updates: Trump administration news on Venezuela, Greenland and ICE protests

Elsewhere, President Donald Trump said yesterday the US is ready to help the Iranian people — without spelling out what that help might look like — posting a message in solidarity with those standing up to the Iranian regime. “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!” Trump

Iran threatens attacks on U.S. bases if Trump intervenes over protests as death toll rises

Iran warned President Donald Trump on Sunday that Israeli and U.S. military bases in the region could be considered “legitimate targets,” after Trump threatened to strike the nation if protestors challenging Iran’s theocracy were killed. At least 116 people have been killed since demonstrations began two weeks ago, according to figures from the U.S.-based Human

Nordics reject Trump’s claim of Chinese and Russian ships around Greenland

Stay informed with free updates Simply sign up to the Geopolitics myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox. Nordic diplomats rejected US President Donald Trump’s claims of Russian and Chinese vessels operating near Greenland, which he has invoked to justify his desire to seize the vast Arctic island from Denmark. Two top Nordic diplomats

Page, Bezos, Brin Close to Joining $300B Club As Tech Fortunes Soar

The $200 billion club could soon be old hat as tech bosses ride the AI wave to new levels of wealth. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Alphabet cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have seen their personal fortunes soar to over $250 billion each, putting all three men within striking distance of the $300 billion

Celebrities Are Wearing Monochrome Burgundy Outfits: Get the Look

It’s official: Burgundy is the “It” color this season. Mindy Kaling visited Good Morning America in head-to-toe burgundy, pairing a textured cardigan and silk mini skirt with burgundy tights and patent leather oxford pumps. Blake Lively went for a sophisticated-meets-rocker take on the trend, teaming a burgundy corseted leather shirt dress with a quilted leather

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x