Musk Plans Fast US Expansion of Tesla Driverless Fleet

Key Moments

Elon Musk said fully self-driving cars without human safety monitors have already been deployed in Texas and could be rolled out more broadly across the United States later this year.
Tesla is recalling 218,868 vehicles in the U.S. over delayed rearview camera images, while other autonomous vehicle operators, including Alphabet-owned Waymo, have also announced safety-related recalls.
Musk highlighted progress at SpaceX and Neuralink, saying reusable rocket systems, a first Blindsight implant, and widespread humanoid robots could significantly reshape technology and the economy over the coming decade.

Autonomous Driving Rollout in the United States

Speaking by video link at the Smart Mobility Summit in Tel Aviv, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Monday that he expects fully self-driving cars operating without human safety monitors to become more common across the United States later this year, following their initial deployment in Texas.

Musk stated that self-driving vehicles without safety drivers are already in service in Texas and projected that this operation would be expanded nationwide within the year.

Tesla Robotaxis and Service Challenges

Tesla, which has been contending with slowing vehicle sales, currently runs robotaxi services in Austin, Dallas and Houston. Reuters reporters who used these services reported that the system experienced extended wait times and, in some instances, no vehicle availability. On certain trips, riders were also dropped off far from their intended destinations.

In November, Tesla obtained regulatory approval to provide a ride-hailing service in Arizona.

Musk’s Long-Term Vision for Self-Driving Adoption

Despite a history of ambitious forecasts on autonomous driving that have not consistently matched his stated timelines, Musk expressed strong confidence about the longer-term adoption of driverless vehicles.

He said: “Five years from now and certainly 10 years from now … probably 90% of all distance driven will be driven by the AI in a self-driving car,” adding, “So overwhelmingly, it’ll be quite a niche thing in 10 years to actually be driving your own car.”

Regulatory Scrutiny and Safety Recalls

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said this month that Tesla is recalling 218,868 vehicles in the United States because delayed rearview camera images could heighten the risk of a crash.

Separately, Alphabet owned Waymo last week recalled about 3,800 robotaxis in the United States after determining there was a risk that its vehicles might enter flooded roads with higher speed limits, prompting additional safety concerns around autonomous driving systems.

Company	Issue	Scope	Regulatory / Safety Context
Tesla	Delayed rearview camera images	Recall of 218,868 vehicles in the U.S.	Identified by NHTSA as potentially increasing crash risk
Waymo (Alphabet owned)	Risk of robotaxis entering flooded roads with higher speed limits	Recall of about 3,800 robotaxis in the U.S.	Raised safety concerns around robotaxi operations

SpaceX Reusability and Cost Reduction Goals

Musk also discussed developments at SpaceX, his rocket and satellite company. He said the firm was nearing the creation of reusable rocket launch systems, which he described as a major advance that could significantly lower the expense of space missions.

“We might succeed in doing that this year,” he said. “When that technology is developed, that will be a fork in the road to human history, where we can become a space-bearing civilization.”

Neuralink’s Blindsight Device and Mobility Research

Musk said that later this year, his brain implant company Neuralink plans to conduct its first implant of a device referred to as Blindsight, aimed at helping individuals who were born without sight or who have impaired vision to see.

He said: “It will give them initially limited vision, but I think over time very precise vision, perhaps super, super human vision,” noting that Neuralink is also pursuing technologies intended to enable people who are paralyzed to walk again.

Humanoid Robots and Economic Outlook

Looking further ahead, Musk said he expects humanoid robots to be “pretty much everywhere” in roughly a decade. He suggested that as robots become productive, this could support stronger economic growth and lead to what he described as “universal high income.”