Tesla Opens Robotaxi iPhone App to All U.S. Users
Key Points
- Tesla's Robotaxi app is now available to all iPhone users in the U.S.
- Users can join a waitlist to potentially hail a ride.
- An Android version is planned for future release.
- The service area has expanded in Austin and the San Francisco Bay Area.
- Safety monitor moved from passenger seat to driver’s seat.
- Tesla frames Robotaxi as a large‑scale FSD demonstration.
- Waymo runs over 2,000 fully autonomous vehicles in six U.S. cities.
Tesla has made its Robotaxi smartphone app available to anyone with an iPhone in the United States, allowing users to join a waitlist for the autonomous ride‑hailing service. Android support is slated for later, and the company has shifted its safety monitor from the passenger seat to the driver’s seat as it expands its geofenced operating area in Austin and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Tesla Opens Robotaxi App to the Public
Tesla announced that its Robotaxi app is now downloadable by any iPhone user in the United States. The move expands the service beyond a limited group of early adopters, letting the broader public sign up for a waitlist to potentially hail a ride.
While the iPhone version is live, Tesla said an Android version will be released in the coming months. The rollout coincides with an expansion of the service’s geofenced operating area, which now includes additional portions of Austin and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Safety Driver Remains Onboard
Recent changes place the safety monitor—a human employee with the ability to intervene—behind the wheel instead of in the passenger seat. This adjustment reflects Tesla’s shift to faster road sections and higher‑speed highway segments within the expanded area.
The company continues to describe the Robotaxi as a large‑scale demonstration of its Full Self‑Driving (FSD) technology rather than a fully autonomous taxi service.
Industry Context
Compared with competitors, Waymo operates more than 2,000 fully autonomous vehicles across six major U.S. cities, highlighting the gap between Tesla’s demonstration phase and fully driverless operations elsewhere.