Tesla's Robotaxi Rollout Sparks Expansion Buzz: Elon Musk's Company Says FSD 'Can Be Deployed Anywhere' After Austin Launch

Tesla Inc. TSLA has officially rolled out its much-awaited Robotaxi in Austin, Texas, with a limited number of Model Y Robotaxis in the South Congress neighborhood.

What Happened: "Our approach to autonomy also enables scalability: Tesla self-driving can be deployed anywhere it’s approved," the company said in a post on social media platform X on Sunday after the Robotaxi launch.

The company also went on to highlight how there was no need for "expensive, specialized equipment" or large-scale and detailed mapping of an area where Robotaxis operate. "It just works," the company said.

Tesla did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comment.

Why It Matters: The post raises some questions about the EV giant's plans for the technology in the future. Recently, Tesla said it planned to invest over $8 billion into its U.S. operations to scale operations in the U.S.

However, there could also be talks of potential licensing opportunities for Tesla's FSD as the camera-based system could be easier to implement for companies into their vehicles over a complex, LiDAR-based one.

CEO Elon Musk also shed some light on the topic in an interview with CNBC last month, where the billionaire said that Tesla was approached by multiple auto manufacturers for its FSD tech.

"There are a number of major automakers that have talked to us about licensing self-driving and we're very much open to that," Musk said before adding that as FSD demonstrates more of its capabilities, the more companies would want to license it.

Elsewhere, Tesla's FSD tech has been brought under the NHTSA's scrutiny after the agency reviewed the company's responses to inquiries about FSD's capabilities in poor weather conditions.

However, FSD tech has also raised eyebrows in the midst of the Robotaxi launch, as two incidents involving the technology posed danger to the occupants of the car.

Recently, a Tesla Model 3 got struck by a train after it was stuck on a railroad track and a Cybertruck drove in the wrong lane for an extended period of time. Both instances involved the vehicles operating in self-driving mode.

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