Took my first Tesla @robotaxi rides in San Antonio this morning, in mild/moderate rain right as the service started at 5am A few observations: The car arrived directly in front of my apartment unit, despite me never having seen Robotaxi testing in this area. Brand-new vehicle. Both rides were very smooth. Compared with a Waymo ride I took two days ago, the Tesla felt a bit smoother, particularly during braking and acceleration. The car also navigated a gated railroad crossing without issues. It slowed slightly before crossing and proceeded smoothly. Trip stats: Ride 1: 8.4 miles | 21 min | $14.29 Ride 2: 8.9 miles | 20 min | $13.42 Total: 17.3 miles | 41 min | $27.71 Average: $1.60/mile Overall, a very positive first impression, particularly given the rainy conditions. Will be looking to take more rides @SawyerMerritt @wholemars @WorldlyReviewer

That’s not really what’s driving the leasing model. Near term, it just helps sidestep durability and cost concerns. Long term as the cost approaches ~$25,000 as opposed to $100k + I think you’ll probably be able to buy one… but most people will order them the same way they order a robotaxi. Just go in the app and call 2 robots for 2 hours. Tesla sends them in a Cybercab, you pay them hourly like a human, and then they leave. Your car gets charged for the ride and the bots.

Cybercab sightings per 1,000 Austin traffic-camera snapshots. The 7-day average has gone up every day since Oct 3, from 4.7 to 6.5 Friday hit a record 8.4, above both ACL Saturdays