Tesla claims world-first autonomous car delivery
Footage posted on social media platform X by the US automaker shows a silver 2025 Tesla Model Y apparently being driven autonomously from the Texas factory where it was made to its new owner's premises.
While not yet verified by any independent body, Tesla claimed in its X post that this constituted the 'world's first autonomous delivery of a car'.
Tesla said the journey took around 30 minutes and required the mid-size electric SUV to negotiate parking lots, highways and the Austin city centre, all of which – according to a graphic on the footage it supplied – was made possible by the company's Robotaxi autonomous software.
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World's first autonomous delivery of a car!This Tesla drove itself from Gigafactory Texas to its new owner's home ~30min away — crossing parking lots, highways & the city to reach its new owner pic.twitter.com/WFSIaEU6Oq— Tesla (@Tesla) June 28, 2025
Tesla CEO Elon Musk described the Robotaxi software as a 'more advanced' version of the company's Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, with the autonomously delivered vehicle reverting to FSD once in customer hands.
Robotaxi software is not yet available to Tesla vehicle owners.
The top-selling Model Y, which was recently updated – is planned to be the first Tesla fitted with Robotaxi software available for customers in the US.
The software enables Level 4 or Level 5 autonomous driving capability, defined as a vehicle able to drive itself in all conditions without needing a driver or even a steering wheel. Supplied Credit: CarExpert
In Australia, Level 2 is the highest stage of autonomous vehicle technology currently permitted for use on public roads by consumers – although higher levels are under test – and this definition is given to cars with features including adaptive cruise control and lane keeping.
In May 2025, Tesla showed one of its vehicles testing in Melbourne, including negotiating the Victorian capital's infamous tram-friendly 'hook turn' manoeuvre, as the automaker confirmed it had begun testing its FSD system on Australia roads.
In June, Tesla began operating its commercial Robotaxi service on the streets of Texas, with 10 vehicles limited to a specific geofenced area in the state capital, Austin.
The service costs a flat $US4.20 (A$6.43) per ride and is currently by invitation only ahead of plans for widespread expansion. Supplied Credit: CarExpert
While it revealed its Cybercab robotaxi in 2024, the June launch of the program used Model Ys fitted with the software and adding 'safety drivers' in the front passenger seat of each as a precaution.
'I predict there will be millions of Teslas operating fully autonomously in the second half of next year,' Mr Musk said during the automaker's first-quarter 2025 earnings call, which included announcing a 66 per cent year-on-year fall in revenue.
Following the kickoff of Tesla's self-driving program in Austin, the US National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) confirmed it opened an investigation into the company's Robotaxi fleet after reports suggested the vehicles had been behaving erratically.
Tesla's is not the first 'robotaxi' service in the US, with Waymo – part of Google subsidiary, Alphabet – operating driverless ride-sharing vehicles since 2020. Supplied Credit: CarExpert
Now employing their sixth generation of autonomous driving tech, Waymo's vehicles – Jaguar I-Pace electric SUVs – were prominent during recent protests in Los Angeles, where many were vandalised with graffiti and several set on fire.
Meanwhile, Amazon – headed by Jeff Bezos – recently opened its first factory in Hayward, California, where it will build its s 'Zoox' robotaxi as a rival to both Waymo and Tesla.
Zoox plans to carry out its first passenger rides in Las Vegas, Nevada, later this year.
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Tesla sales have dropped for a sixth straight month in Sweden and Denmark in June, data on Tuesday showed, but they rose in Norway and Spain during the same month. Analysts expect the company to report a drop in second-quarter delivery figures on Wednesday. After weeks of relative silence, Musk rejoined the debate on Saturday as the Senate took up the package, calling it "utterly insane and destructive" in a post on X. On Monday, Musk said lawmakers who campaigned on cutting spending but backed the bill "should hang their heads in shame!" "And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this earth," Musk said. He also called again for a new political party, saying the bill's massive spending indicated "that we live in a one-party country - the PORKY PIG PARTY!!" The criticism marked a dramatic shift after the billionaire spent nearly $US300 million on Trump's re-election campaign and led the administration's DOGE initiative. Musk has argued that the legislation would greatly increase the country's debt and erase the savings he says he achieved through DOGE. It remains unclear how much sway Musk has over Congress or what effect his opinions might have on the bill's passage. But Republicans have expressed concern that his on-again, off-again feud with Trump could hurt their chances to protect their majority in the 2026 midterm congressional elections. US President Donald Trump has suggested the government efficiency department should review the subsidies to Tesla CEO Elon Musk's companies to save money, reigniting a war of words between arguably the world's most powerful person and its richest. Trump's remarks came after Musk, a Republican mega-donor, renewed his criticism of the sweeping tax cut and spending bill and vowed to unseat lawmakers who supported it despite campaigning on limiting government spending. Tesla shares fell more than six per cent before the market open as the feud could add fresh hurdles for the business empire of Musk, whose main source of wealth, the electric car maker, is betting on the success of robotaxis being tested in Texas. The US Transportation Department regulates vehicle design and will play a key role in deciding if Tesla can mass-produce robotaxis without pedals and steering wheels, while Musk's rocket firm SpaceX has about $US22 billion ($A33 billion) in federal contracts. "Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa," Trump said in a Truth Social post. "No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!," he said, referring to the Department of Government Efficiency. In response, Musk said on his own social media platform X, "I am literally saying CUT IT ALL. Now." Trump said Musk was upset because he lost the EV mandate in the recent tax and spending bill and warned the Tesla CEO "could lose a lot more than that". Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also pushed back on Musk's criticism that the bill would balloon the deficit, saying, "I'll take care of" the country's finances. Trump had in early June threatened to cut Musk's government contracts when their relationship erupted into an all-out social media brawl over the tax-cut bill, which non-partisan analysts estimate would add about $US3 trillion to the US debt. The rift had resulted in Tesla shares erasing $US150 billion in market value as investors feared a tougher regulatory road for the self-driving robotaxi that underpin much of the company's valuation. The stock recovered after Musk walked back some of his jabs, saying he had gone "too far". "Musk cannot stop himself. He is getting on Trump's bad side again. Tesla international sales have fallen significantly and if he loses US subsidies, US sales are likely to fall as well," said Stock Trader Network Chief Strategist Dennis Dick, who holds Tesla shares. "Musk needs Trump, Trump does not need Musk," he said. Tesla sales have dropped for a sixth straight month in Sweden and Denmark in June, data on Tuesday showed, but they rose in Norway and Spain during the same month. Analysts expect the company to report a drop in second-quarter delivery figures on Wednesday. After weeks of relative silence, Musk rejoined the debate on Saturday as the Senate took up the package, calling it "utterly insane and destructive" in a post on X. On Monday, Musk said lawmakers who campaigned on cutting spending but backed the bill "should hang their heads in shame!" "And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this earth," Musk said. He also called again for a new political party, saying the bill's massive spending indicated "that we live in a one-party country - the PORKY PIG PARTY!!" The criticism marked a dramatic shift after the billionaire spent nearly $US300 million on Trump's re-election campaign and led the administration's DOGE initiative. Musk has argued that the legislation would greatly increase the country's debt and erase the savings he says he achieved through DOGE. It remains unclear how much sway Musk has over Congress or what effect his opinions might have on the bill's passage. But Republicans have expressed concern that his on-again, off-again feud with Trump could hurt their chances to protect their majority in the 2026 midterm congressional elections.
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an hour ago
- Perth Now
Trump eyes Tesla subsidies, Musk says 'cut it all'
US President Donald Trump has suggested the government efficiency department should review the subsidies to Tesla CEO Elon Musk's companies to save money, reigniting a war of words between arguably the world's most powerful person and its richest. Trump's remarks came after Musk, a Republican mega-donor, renewed his criticism of the sweeping tax cut and spending bill and vowed to unseat lawmakers who supported it despite campaigning on limiting government spending. Tesla shares fell more than six per cent before the market open as the feud could add fresh hurdles for the business empire of Musk, whose main source of wealth, the electric car maker, is betting on the success of robotaxis being tested in Texas. The US Transportation Department regulates vehicle design and will play a key role in deciding if Tesla can mass-produce robotaxis without pedals and steering wheels, while Musk's rocket firm SpaceX has about $US22 billion ($A33 billion) in federal contracts. "Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa," Trump said in a Truth Social post. "No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!," he said, referring to the Department of Government Efficiency. In response, Musk said on his own social media platform X, "I am literally saying CUT IT ALL. Now." Trump said Musk was upset because he lost the EV mandate in the recent tax and spending bill and warned the Tesla CEO "could lose a lot more than that". Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also pushed back on Musk's criticism that the bill would balloon the deficit, saying, "I'll take care of" the country's finances. Trump had in early June threatened to cut Musk's government contracts when their relationship erupted into an all-out social media brawl over the tax-cut bill, which non-partisan analysts estimate would add about $US3 trillion to the US debt. The rift had resulted in Tesla shares erasing $US150 billion in market value as investors feared a tougher regulatory road for the self-driving robotaxi that underpin much of the company's valuation. The stock recovered after Musk walked back some of his jabs, saying he had gone "too far". "Musk cannot stop himself. He is getting on Trump's bad side again. Tesla international sales have fallen significantly and if he loses US subsidies, US sales are likely to fall as well," said Stock Trader Network Chief Strategist Dennis Dick, who holds Tesla shares. "Musk needs Trump, Trump does not need Musk," he said. Tesla sales have dropped for a sixth straight month in Sweden and Denmark in June, data on Tuesday showed, but they rose in Norway and Spain during the same month. Analysts expect the company to report a drop in second-quarter delivery figures on Wednesday. After weeks of relative silence, Musk rejoined the debate on Saturday as the Senate took up the package, calling it "utterly insane and destructive" in a post on X. On Monday, Musk said lawmakers who campaigned on cutting spending but backed the bill "should hang their heads in shame!" "And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this earth," Musk said. He also called again for a new political party, saying the bill's massive spending indicated "that we live in a one-party country - the PORKY PIG PARTY!!" The criticism marked a dramatic shift after the billionaire spent nearly $US300 million on Trump's re-election campaign and led the administration's DOGE initiative. Musk has argued that the legislation would greatly increase the country's debt and erase the savings he says he achieved through DOGE. It remains unclear how much sway Musk has over Congress or what effect his opinions might have on the bill's passage. But Republicans have expressed concern that his on-again, off-again feud with Trump could hurt their chances to protect their majority in the 2026 midterm congressional elections.
