Tesla first driverless delivery new car to customer

Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that Tesla completed its first driverless delivery of a new car to a customer, sending a Model Y SUV from the Austin, Texas Gigafactory to an apartment building in the area on June 27.

The Tesla account on social network X, owned by Musk, shared a video showcasing the Model Y navigating public roads in Austin without a human in the driver’s seat or front passenger seat.

Tesla did not specify the software and hardware version used in the showcased car, nor did they mention when this technology would be available to customers.

The Tesla Model Y owners’ manual states that users must keep their hands on the wheel to use Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) option, the most advanced partially automated driving system currently available.

The video displayed the vehicle operating without a driver on highways, through residential areas, and around parking lots before stopping for handover to the customer. The delivery took place at an apartment building, with Tesla employees present for the handoff.

Musk claimed this was the first fully autonomous drive on a public highway, although Alphabet-owned Waymo has been offering fully autonomous rides in certain cities since 2024.

Head of AI at Tesla, Ashok Elluswamy, mentioned on X that the Model Y in the driverless delivery traveled at a maximum speed of 72 mph.

Tesla initiated a robotaxi pilot program in Austin involving Model Y SUVs equipped with undisclosed technology, available to selected riders.

Since 2016, Musk has been promising full autonomy for Tesla vehicles through software updates, aiming to create a shared fleet generating income for owners.

Despite facing backlash for various reasons, Tesla remains a key player in the EV market, with upcoming vehicle production and delivery numbers set to be disclosed soon.