Tesla Plans Nationwide Expansion of Fully Autonomous Cars
Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced plans to expand fully autonomous vehicles without safety monitors nationwide in late 2026, following initial deployment in Texas. The expansion raises safety concerns amid concurrent recalls of autonomous vehicles from both Tesla and Waymo for safety issues, though no formal safety investigation or official finding regarding Tesla's expansion plan has been recorded.
What happened
Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced at the Smart Mobility Summit in Tel Aviv on May 18, 2026, that the company plans to expand fully autonomous vehicles without human safety monitors nationwide later in 2026, after initially deploying them in Texas cities including Austin, Dallas, and Houston.
Musk predicted that within a decade, approximately 90% of all distance driven in the United States will be conducted by AI in self-driving cars. Musk has made similar bold predictions about autonomous vehicle capabilities and timelines for over a decade, many of which have not materialized as predicted.
Reported impact
Reuters reporters who tested Tesla's robotaxi service in Texas reported the service was plagued by long wait times and sometimes no availability, with drop-off spots on some rides located far from riders' destinations.
Index analysis
The expansion follows Tesla receiving a permit to operate a ride-hailing service in Arizona. Concurrent safety concerns in the autonomous vehicle industry include Waymo recalling approximately 3,800 robotaxis after identifying a risk that vehicles could enter flooded roads with higher speed limits, and Tesla recalling 218,868 vehicles due to delayed rearview camera images that could increase crash risk.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.