Tesla’s Robotaxi Launch Comes With Strict Rules And A ‘Safety Monitor’

It’ll also come with a human in the front seat to begin with

June 22 is the day when Tesla says it’ll launch its Robotaxi service for early access customers. Invitations are going out to many of them, and those invites include more details. Among them are the rules for riders and the fact that a Tesla employee will be along for every ride as a “safety monitor” in the passenger seat. Here’s everything you need to know about Tesla’s Robotaxi launch.

More: Tesla’s First Robotaxi Caught Driving Itself Just Before June 22 Launch

We’ve seen Tesla testing its Robotaxi in Austin, Texas, already. It turns out that much of what we saw there will be repeated for the launch of this new early access program. That includes the use of a Model Y for part of the fleet and a human in the front passenger seat.

The Fine Print

Over the last few days, Tesla has started the process of inviting people to test the Robotaxi beginning on June 22. Inside those invites, people have found a lengthy list of requirements and restrictions. For example, riders can only bring one other person. They must read through the Terms of Service document before riding. They must have a credit or debit card on file. And they are instructed to provide feedback after the ride.

Notably, the instruction tells invitees to let Tesla know that they’ll partake so that Tesla can send them the Robotaxi rideshare application. Service will only be available from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. and within the geo-fenced area Tesla has created in Austin. The automaker says that service could end up limited or unavailable in bad weather, too.

There are some restrictions, but most are pretty obvious. Riders aren’t allowed to drink, do drugs, vape, or smoke in the Robotaxi. They can’t use the Robotaxi to commit crimes or transport weapons or illegal/hazardous materials. If riders do break the rules, Tesla can suspend their access to Robotaxi. Importantly, riders can record video and take photos of their trip(s), so expect to see lots of that come Sunday.

Reality vs Expectation

Tesla and CEO Elon Musk have touted this launch for some time. The latter has confidently claimed (for the umpteenth time) that Full Self-Driving would reach Level 5 autonomy this year too. That’s clearly not what we’re dealing with here since there’s a safety person in the car during all of these rides. Limited availability based on timing, GPS fencing, and weather casts a dimmer light on this launch too.

At the same time, it’s nice to see Tesla taking this launch seriously enough to have an employee in the car. No doubt, that plays a role in availability based on time. The geo-locked navigation is relatively easy to understand, too, and no different than similar brands like Waymo.

Ultimately, whether you like or dislike Tesla and/or Elon Musk, additional competition in the Robotaxi space seems like a good thing. Of course, that all hinges on these cars being safe for both riders and the general public around them. We’ll find out more in just a few days. 

Here’s the full set of rules:

• You must read through and agree to the attached Terms of Service, Rider Rules, Robotaxi Rider Privacy Notice, and Service Animal Policy.
• You must have a credit/debit card on file.
• You may request a ride in the app to/from anywhere in the geofenced area, excluding any airports, between 6:00AM to 12:00AM (midnight), every day of the week. These operational hours are subject to change.A map of the geofenced area is available in the app.
• Note that service may be limited or unavailable in the event of inclement weather.
• Only the invitee may download and use the Robotaxi App to hail a Robotaxi ride.
• Please be courteous and treat the service with respect. Your participation in this Early Access program may be terminated for various reasons, including violating these parameters or engaging in unsafe and/or disrespectful behavior.
• Provide a star rating and feedback from your experience in the app.
• Photos and video of the experience are ok.
• Smoking, vaping, consuming alcohol, and using drugs are not permitted inside the Robotaxi
• The Robotaxi may not be used in connection with the commission of any crime, or to transport weapons or illegal or hazardous materials.
• Instruments or equipment intended to record, measure, reverse engineer, collect information about, or conduct surveillance of any feature, equipment, component, or area of Tesla robotaxi are strictly prohibited (such as bringing onboard devices with the intent to obtain competitively sensitive, proprietary, or non-public information about Robotaxi).
• Tesla may suspend or terminate Robotaxi access if you violate these rules, including if you disseminate content on a social media platform or similar medium depicting a violation of these Rules or misuse of the Robotaxi.