Tesla Model Y makes driverless delivery with no human input, says Musk

The Tesla CEO said a Model Y SUV drove from the Austin factory to a customer's home with no one inside, as the firm steps up its push into autonomy and software-led growth

Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced on Saturday that a Tesla Model Y SUV autonomously drove itself from the company’s manufacturing facility near Austin, Texas, to the buyer's residence. The hands-free journey, according to Musk, involved highway driving and occurred with no one inside the vehicle — neither passengers nor remote operators were involved.

 

In a post on X, Musk revealed, “Across town, no human in the car, no remote control,” highlighting the significance of this development in Tesla’s autonomous ambitions. Though no images or videos were initially shared, Musk indicated that footage of the trip would be released soon.

 

Tesla’s AI and Autopilot lead, Ashok Elluswamy, was quoted as saying that the self-driving Model Y reached a top speed of 72 miles per hour during the delivery drive, Bloomberg reported. The event took place one day earlier than Musk’s previously stated date of June 28, which also marks his 54th birthday.   

 

Milestone follows limited robotaxi launch

The fully autonomous delivery closely follows Tesla's limited rollout of its robotaxi service on June 22 in Austin. The robotaxi programme, which functions as a no-human cab service, is currently available only to a select group of investors and influencers, and operates within a limited area using self-driving Model Y vehicles.

 

Musk had teased the launch of both the robotaxi service and the autonomous delivery events earlier in June via social media.

 

The billionaire entrepreneur has repeatedly stated his vision of a future dominated by robotaxis and humanoid robots like Optimus, as Tesla seeks to reduce dependence on traditional car sales. The company is betting heavily on software and automation to drive future revenue, Bloomberg reported.

 

However, Tesla’s traditional electric vehicle (EV) business is facing headwinds. Sales have slowed in major markets such as North America and Europe, aggravated by Musk’s polarising political stance — he backed Trump during the 2020 US presidential elections and briefly headed the Department of Government Efficiency — and growing competition from Chinese EV manufacturers. Meanwhile, internal turbulence at the carmaker continues with a series of high-profile executive departures.

 

Safety concerns prompt regulatory scrutiny

Despite Tesla’s push into autonomy, the technology is under growing scrutiny. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has begun reviewing the performance of Tesla’s robotaxis in Texas following online videos that showed erratic driving behaviour, news agency PTI reported.   

 

  These included vehicles making sudden stops, driving on the wrong side of the road, and heading straight through intersections from turn-only lanes.

 

“NHTSA is aware of the referenced incidents and is in contact with the manufacturer to gather additional information,” the agency said in a statement.

 

Leadership exits reflect shifting priorities

Adding to the uncertainty is the wave of executive exits at the carmaker. Two days ago, Omead Afshar, a close aide of Musk's and former head of manufacturing and sales operations in Europe and North America, quit the firm, Reuters reported.

 

Afshar's departure follows a broader leadership overhaul at Tesla over the past year, driven by Musk’s cost-cutting initiatives and strategic pivot toward robotics and autonomy. Outgoing executives include CFO Zach Kirkhorn, battery engineering lead Drew Baglino, and Rebecca Tinucci, who oversaw Tesla’s Supercharging division.

 

(With agency inputs)