Tesla has massively expanded the service area of its Robotaxi pilot in Austin, Texas, growing its geofence to approximately 173 square miles.
This marks the third geofence expansion in Austin since Tesla launched its Robotaxi program there just over two months ago. The autonomous ride-hailing service originally started with an 18-square-mile area in June. Since then, Tesla has multiplied the coverage area nearly tenfold. The latest update also does away with the geofence’s now-infamous phallic shape, replacing it with a much broader service footprint across Austin.
Earlier this month, Tesla officially secured a rideshare license in Texas, giving it regulatory approval to operate its Robotaxi fleet under the state’s new autonomous rideshare laws, which take effect September 1. With this expansion, Tesla is laying the groundwork for its driverless service to open to the general public in Austin next month.
As noted by longtime Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt), the Tesla Robotaxi geofence is over 90% larger than rival Waymo’s coverage in the city. Waymo currently operates within an 88-square-mile geofence in Austin, making Tesla’s service area significantly larger. While Tesla hasn’t disclosed how many Model Y Robotaxis it has deployed in the city so far, the company is likely adding more vehicles to meet growing demand as it scales.
Beyond Austin, Tesla is already eyeing additional U.S. cities for expansion. Recent job postings suggest Chicago could be one of the next markets where the company will roll out its Robotaxi service.
Tesla’s rapid geofence growth in Austin highlights the company’s aggressive push into autonomous mobility as it seeks to outpace competitors and prepare for its wider Robotaxi expansion in the months ahead.
Update (August 27, 2025): Tesla has confirmed that it has increased the number of vehicles in its Austin Robotaxi fleet by 50% to go along with the service’s physical expansion. The story has also been updated to reflect that the Austin geofence now covers 173 square miles, per Tesla (instead of 171 square miles as originally reported).
