Tesla Stock Gains Again After Robotaxi Debut in Austin

Tesla shares continued to gain momentum Tuesday, building on Monday’s 8% surge following the company’s pilot launch of its long-awaited robotaxi service in Austin, Texas.

The small-scale rollout over the weekend marked a new chapter in Tesla’s push to commercialize its autonomous driving technology. According to observers, the launch went ahead without major incidents—though not without raising eyebrows at the federal level.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is reportedly reviewing a series of viral social media clips that captured robotaxis performing unorthodox driving maneuvers. In one video, a Tesla vehicle hesitates at an intersection before veering through a left-turn-only lane and briefly driving on the wrong side of the street. Other footage shows minor but noticeable lapses—such as exceeding speed limits by a few miles per hour or making abrupt stops when asked to pull over.

The NHTSA has not issued a formal statement but is said to be seeking more information from Tesla, a sign that regulators are keeping a close watch as the robotaxi program moves beyond the testing phase.

Despite the early concerns, initial feedback from passengers and some Wall Street analysts has been largely positive. Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities called the pilot program “a key moment” for Tesla and said his team was “impressed” after experiencing the service firsthand.

“This is a glimpse of what Elon Musk has been promising for years,” Ives wrote in a note to investors. “If Tesla can scale this successfully and earn regulatory trust, it’s a game-changer for the company’s future beyond just selling EVs.”

The stock’s rise on Tuesday morning—up nearly 2% in premarket trading—comes at a critical time for Tesla.After a rocky start to the year that saw shares slide roughly 14%, the robotaxi news has reignited bullish interest from investors who believe autonomous ride-hailing could be a multi-billion-dollar opportunity for the automaker.

Tesla has yet to release full details about pricing, rollout timeline, or the scope of the Austin pilot, but Musk has long hinted at his vision for a Tesla-owned ride-hailing network powered entirely by its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software. The company currently allows some customers to test the software in a beta program, but full autonomy has not yet been officially achieved under regulatory definitions.

While the current rollout remains limited in scale, it may serve as a proving ground for Tesla’s broader ambitions—both technologically and commercially.

Still, questions remain. Will Tesla be able to meet safety standards under real-world conditions? Can it scale the service quickly and reliably in other U.S. cities? And how will regulators respond as robotaxis become more visible in public spaces?

Tesla’s pilot may have boosted confidence on Wall Street, but the real test starts now: proving the cars can handle unpredictable roads while convincing regulators they’re safe enough for scale. It’s not just about innovation anymore—it’s about accountability.

Also Read: Tesla Stock Faces Major Risks Ahead of Robotaxi Launch and Earnings Report