Tesla launches robotaxi rides without a human chaperone in Austin

• Tesla says some of its cars are now driving passengers without a human monitor in the front seat.
• CEO Elon Musk has been pushing to launch more self-driving cars in other US cities.
• Competitors launched similar products in the city 10 months ago.

Tesla's cars passed their driver's exam.

On Thursday, a Tesla executive said a handful of driverless robotaxis were hitting Austin streets without any human chaperones on board.

"Robotaxi rides without any safety monitors are now publicly available in Austin," Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla's vice president of AI software, wrote in an X post.

The move marks a significant step for Tesla's long-running push toward fully autonomous ride-hailing.

Tesla first launched its driverless robotaxi service last June, initially limiting rides to a small group of investors and fans. Those rides included human supervisors in the front seat, tasked with intervening if the system made errors.

In December, Tesla put out a few cars without the monitors, but did not allow riders in the back seat.

Now, Tesla is opening the second-row doors for people who need a ride. The automaker did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment, including questions about pricing and availability.

The company's self-driving launch comes 10 months after Waymo — the self-driving startup owned by Google's parent company, Alphabet — launched its driverless competitor in the city.

It comes amid a major year for Tesla. CEO Elon Musk has predicted that several AI-built technologies will launch this year, including nationwide robotaxi services, new self-driving vehicles, and humanoid robots.

Tesla's stock shot up after Elluswamy's post, increasing from $438.77 a share before the announcement to just under $450 after.

Musk and Tesla will host an earnings call next Wednesday, including updates on its self-driving programs.