Tesla Begins Testing Driverless Taxis Without Onboard Supervisors

Tesla tests driverless taxis without onboard supervisors; passengers not yet involved.

Tesla has initiated trials of driverless taxis without supervisory drivers, though passengers are not yet involved. This was announced by the company’s head, Elon Musk.

Testing is underway with no occupants in the car

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 14, 2025

“Today, a driverless Tesla robotaxi was spotted on the roads of Austin, Texas. There was no one in the car, including a safety driver. Fully autonomous. It is really happening,” wrote X user DogeDesigner.

The company’s shares rose by 3.56% on Monday. Over the year, they have increased by 18% and are trading about 1% below the record highs recorded in December 2024.

For over a decade, Musk has promised investors and Tesla customers the transformation of electric vehicles into driverless transport capable of functioning as robotaxis and traveling across the country without human intervention.

In June, the company launched its first test rides in Austin. One passenger noted the vehicle’s high speed and autonomous parking capabilities.

As of mid-October, the company’s vehicles were involved in seven accidents. The collisions were not serious.

Carnegie Mellon University professor and autonomous systems safety researcher Philip Koopman noted the significance of this, considering the small fleet of about 30 cars and the presence of a safety controller in each vehicle to prevent accidents.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles and the Public Utilities Commission confirmed that Tesla has not yet applied for the permits required to test driverless cars in the state without a human driver or for the commercial operation of robotaxis.

In the autonomous vehicle sector, Tesla lags behind Alphabet’s Waymo in the US and firms Apollo Go and WeRide in Asia.

Musk’s $600 Billion Fortune

However, Musk surpasses competitors in terms of capital. His wealth has reached a record, exceeding $600 billion for the first time, following a new valuation of SpaceX.

According to Bloomberg, the valuation of the billionaire’s total assets increased to nearly $638 billion after the company’s value reached $800 billion due to insider stock sales.

SpaceX has once again become the most valuable private company in the world. Previously, OpenAI displaced it from the leading position. However, the battle is not over — the ChatGPT developer is preparing for a public stock offering with a valuation of $1 trillion. Although in such a case, it will lose its private company status.

Musk’s space firm also plans an initial public offering with a valuation of $1.5 trillion. If successful, the entrepreneur could become the first trillionaire in human history — he owns 42% of the shares.

Back in December, Time magazine named Musk and other AI architects as “Persons of the Year.”