Tesla has begun testing self-driving robotaxis in Austin, Texas, marking its first deployment of autonomous vehicles carrying paying passengers. The small-scale trial involves about 10 vehicles operating in a restricted area, each accompanied by a front-seat "safety monitor" but with no driver behind the wheel.CEO Elon Musk described the pilot as the "culmination of a decade of hard work," highlighting Tesla’s in-house development of its AI chips and software. The company invited a select group of social media influencers to participate in the trial, with rides offered for a flat fee of $4.20.Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently signed legislation to regulate autonomous vehicles, though the law doesn’t take effect until September.Despite the milestone, industry experts caution that scaling robotaxi services city-wide — let alone nationally — could take years. Tesla faces stiff competition from players like Waymo, and experts such as Carnegie Mellon's Philip Koopman note the industry is still far from delivering fully autonomous fleets at scale.I don't think this pic is from Austin. Not enough hair buns. This article was written by Eamonn Sheridan at www.forexlive.com.