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.

The company debuted its autonomous ride-hailing service Sunday. The limited program is invite-only and uses around 20 cars—signs that Tesla has a long way to go to catch up to its robotaxi rivals.

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.