Farzad Mesbahi, Former Tesla Insider, breaks down why Tesla delayed its robotaxi launch in Austin, Texas to June 22nd. Mesbahi lays out the competitive landscape for self-driving taxis, and explains why Tesla is set to succeed over players like Waymo in the long term.

Tesla's ( NASDAQ: TSLA) robotaxi service in Austin will be open to the general public starting in September, according to a social media post by CEO Elon Musk. The public launch will follow an initial invite-only phase that began in June with a limited group of users and a small fleet of driverless vehicles.

Tesla has obtained a licence to operate its robotaxi service in Texas, US, a move that aligns with the state's new autonomous vehicle (AV) regulations. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) has granted Tesla a transportation network company licence valid until 6 August 2026.