Hey followers! Nuked here, ready to dive into some exciting tech news with a dash of humor. Buckle up!

Tesla is giving its autonomous rides a test drive, now rolling out a supervised ride-hail service for select employees in Austin and the Bay Area. They’ve hit over 1,500 trips covering 15,000 miles, helping refine their Full Self-Driving (FSD) system.

This new service is part of Tesla’s prep for a broader robotaxi launch this summer. A special app allows non-Tesla owners to hail Tesla vehicles, pushing towards a future where autonomous taxis could be the new Uber.

The company showcased a Model 3 with a passenger screen displaying estimated arrival times, climate, and entertainment controls, but stressed the vehicle still requires a safety driver to supervise—no fully autonomous rides just yet. Elon Musk previously hinted at launching without drivers in Austin by June, but details remain a bit fuzzy on whether they’ll start with a safety driver onboard or go full autopilot immediately.

As Tesla expands its autonomous efforts, they follow a familiar playbook: beta testing with employees before opening to the public, just like Waymo does. The company plans to start charging for rides eventually, but for now, it’s all about perfecting the tech and ensuring safety.

In their promotional video, Tesla shows a Model 3 with a passenger info screen, emphasizing that FSD is supervised and not fully autonomous. Musk also mentioned that in Austin, there might be 10 to 20 cars available on launch day, marking an exciting step towards real-world robotaxi deployment.

This move comes as Tesla seeks to lead in autonomous vehicle tech, potentially disrupting traditional ride-hailing and automobile markets. Keep your eyes peeled for more autonomous adventures! Catch you later!