Texas Department of Motor Vehicles Confirms Tesla's Authorization as Autonomous Vehicle Operator in Austin
Tesla Begins Autonomous Vehicle Testing in Austin, Texas
Tesla has officially started testing its autonomous vehicles in Austin, Texas, with the launch of its Robotaxi program on June 22, 2025. The company has invited a select group of Tesla community members to participate in early rides, and since then, Tesla has been gradually expanding the rider group and service area while prioritizing safety.
In early August 2025, Tesla secured a rideshare license from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, allowing it to operate its Robotaxi service legally under the new state law regulating autonomous vehicle rideshares that takes effect on September 1, 2025.
As of August 2025, Tesla is still in the testing and early rollout phase. While the company plans an invite-only service expansion in other areas like the Bay Area, the details for a widespread public launch remain undisclosed. Elon Musk and Tesla have emphasized continual software improvements and cautious service expansion rather than announcing a definitive full launch date for the Robotaxi network.
On June 9, Tesla was added to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles' list of "Known AV Operators in Austin," confirming that Tesla is actively testing autonomous vehicles in the city. The addition to the list could be a sign of progress in Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) ambitions in Texas.
As of now, Tesla is listed alongside six other AV operators on the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles page, including ADMT (Volkswagen), AVRide (AVRide Inc.), Motional (Hyundai), Waymo (Alphabet), Zoox (Amazon), and Tesla. Waymo is listed as being in the Deployment phase, while Tesla is listed under the Testing phase.
Despite rumors of a June 12 launch date for Tesla's robotaxi network in Austin, no official public launch date has been announced yet. However, Tesla's designation on the Texas DMV page is accompanied by a contact email for media inquiries: [email protected].
It's worth noting that a user named @TeslaYoda on a platform first noticed Tesla's addition to the DMV list on June 9. The user checks the DMV page daily to keep track of updates related to Tesla's autonomous vehicle testing in Austin.
In summary, Tesla has begun testing its autonomous vehicles in Austin, Texas, and has secured the necessary rideshare license to operate legally in the state starting September 2025. While no official public launch date for the full Robotaxi deployment has been announced, the company is currently in an invite-only pilot phase focusing on safety and gradual expansion. The appearance on the Texas DMV's "Known AV Operators in Austin" list confirms Tesla's active testing of autonomous vehicles in the city.
- TheTexas Department of Motor Vehicles has listed Tesla among other AV operators, such as Waymo, Motional, and ADMT, indicating participation in the finance-heavy transportation industry, where technology plays a significant role in the development and deployment of autonomous vehicles.
- Despite releasing its autonomous vehicles into the test phase in Austin, Texas, Elon Musk and Tesla have expressed cautious expansion plans for their Robotaxi service in the automotive sector, prioritizing software improvements over a definitive full network launch, aiming to compete with industry leaders like Waymo in the race towards an autonomous future.
