Tesla robotaxis arrive in Fort Worth

Eight crashes involving Tesla robotaxis were reported across Texas in the four weeks ending Sept. 15, according to federal filings. That statistic sits in the background as the company pushes its autonomous fleet into a new and heavily monitored market. Fort Worth, a city with a population exceeding 1 million, now hosts Tesla's driverless cars. Rides began at 6 a.m. Monday, adding the fourth major Texas city to the network after Austin, Dallas, and Houston.

The launch drew a small crowd of supporters, including Bo French, a Railroad Commissioner candidate and former Republican Party chairman for Tarrant County. The company defined the service area with a geofence that stretches west of downtown to Texas Christian University. It extends further to the suburb of White Settlement and follows Interstate 820 to the edge of Saginaw. This specific boundary map was released ahead of the launch to show potential riders where they can summon a car.

Tesla has been refining its operations in other Texas cities for months. Austin has hosted the service since June 2025, while Dallas and Houston joined in April 2026. The automaker says San Antonio is expected to launch soon. To improve the user experience in Fort Worth, the company extended available hours to run from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. New software features include a rear-view camera feed and the ability to share trip details with another person.

Analysts and investors have questioned the pace of the rollout. The company's geofence claims, particularly a recent expansion in Houston that created a rocket-like shape on maps, have drawn scrutiny regarding the accuracy of advertised boundaries. Additionally, the Cybercab, the purpose-built robotaxi, remains available only to customers in Austin. This limitation was a point of discussion during Tesla's recent earnings call.

Fort Worth is becoming a crowded space for autonomous vehicles. Tesla plans to launch the Cybercab in Dallas this month. In December, Avride started its robotaxi service in Dallas through a partnership with Uber. Waymo also opened rides to Dallas customers in early August. These competitors are operating under the same federal requirement to report incidents and crashes.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is currently reviewing parts of Tesla's robotaxi operations. Investigators are evaluating a complaint that the automated driving system sped in school zones. This applies to both Model Y and Cybercab vehicles. The agency is also examining the technical data Tesla used to certify that the Cybercab met vehicle safety standards.

CEO Elon Musk maintains a confident outlook on the service's long-term potential. He stated last month that Tesla will likely account for a majority of all passenger miles in any country where it operates freely. Musk invited the public to revisit this prediction in the future, expressing personal confidence in the outcome.