Tesla’s first robotaxi rides will have a ‘safety monitor’ in the passenger seat

Tesla has begun sending out invitations for its highly anticipated robotaxi service, but there’s one significant caveat: it’s installing a “safety monitor” in the front passenger seat, as previously reported by Electrek. The invites, which were sent to Tesla influencers and investors, say the human monitor will “accompany you on your trip” when rides begin on June 22nd — a move that’s at odds with Elon Musk’s promise of fully unsupervised rides.

Details about Tesla’s robotaxi service have been slim in the weeks leading up to its launch, but Musk said in January that the company would launch its “unsupervised” robotaxi service with “no one in the car” this summer. Musk expanded on this in an April earnings call, saying the 10 to 20 Model Y vehicles would be remotely operated in the event of an emergency.

Tesla’s invitation outlines some requirements for robotaxi rides, including that riders must request service between 6AM and 12AM within a geofenced area, “excluding airports.” It adds that “service may be limited or unavailable in inclement weather,” which is often a challenge for autonomous vehicles. Invitees can bring one additional guest 18 or older.

Over the past couple of months, Tesla has faced pressure from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which has asked the EV-maker for more information about “the ability of Tesla’s system to react appropriately to reduced roadway visibility conditions.” Texas lawmakers have requested that Tesla delay its robotaxi launch until a revision to the state’s autonomous driving law takes effect in September. It will require robotaxi services to get authorization from the Department of Motor Vehicles before operating without a human driver.