Fully Driverless Tesla Model Y Seen Operating on Austin Streets

Mario Herger reports that fully driverless Tesla Model Y vehicles were spotted in Austin, marking a new testing phase for Tesla’s Robotaxi and FSD development.

In Austin, the first fully autonomous Tesla Model Y vehicles have been spotted driving through city streets without a driver or any passengers inside. Videos circulating online show the cars moving independently, filmed both from a nearby vehicle and by a pedestrian at an intersection, clearly indicating that no one is seated in the cabin.

In the footage, a so-called chase vehicle can also be seen — a red Tesla Model 3 following the autonomous Model Y. This type of escort car is commonly used during autonomous testing and allows for intervention if a dangerous situation arises.

The sightings are directly linked to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) development and its Robotaxi program. Tesla officially launched its Robotaxi service in Austin on June 22, 2025, initially in a limited pilot phase. At the start, vehicles operated with a safety monitor inside, but Elon Musk later confirmed that Tesla had begun testing cars without any human observer in the cabin. These tests are not commercial rides and are conducted as part of internal validation.

Tesla has not published detailed regulatory explanations regarding the legal framework for fully driverless operation in Austin. Nevertheless, the appearance of vehicles operating without occupants suggests a shift into a new testing phase. Earlier in June 2025, Tesla had already demonstrated the capabilities of FSD by delivering a Model Y autonomously from its Austin factory to a customer’s home without a driver or remote control.

Against the backdrop of competitors, the development is notable. Waymo, for example, already operates fully driverless commercial robotaxi services in several U.S. cities, while Tesla continues to expand its testing step by step. Austin appears to remain the central testing ground for this approach.

The presence of fully autonomous Tesla Model Y vehicles on public roads does not signal an immediate large-scale rollout, but it does underline Tesla’s trajectory. The company is moving closer to a future in which the car becomes an independent road user — without a driver, and even without a human inside.