For now, Austin serves as Tesla’s proving ground. The tech is raw, the rollout is cautious, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. If the robotaxi experiment succeeds here, the future Musk has long promised might finally arrive. If not, it’s another high-profile beta test in a long road filled with big promises—and sharp turns.

While no one was in the driver's seat of the Tesla robotaxis, a front-seat rider acted as a "safety monitor" during the trial.

The company has begun a test run of the driverless cabs, years after CEO Elon Musk vowed they would be on the road.