By Zee Media Bureau,Zee News
Copyright india
A Bengaluru YouTuber has gone viral after sharing his first experience of riding in Elon Musk’s Robotaxi. Ishan Sharma, who is in California, posted a video on X with the caption, “Just tried Robotaxi by Elon Musk in Bay Area and loved the experience!”In the clip, he can be seen booking a Tesla for his short trip. At the start of the video, he says, “Today I’m trying out Elon Musk’s Robotaxi here in California. Let’s book a ride and see how it goes.”Soon after, a Tesla pulled up at Sharma’s pickup spot. To his surprise, there was a driver inside. He explained that although the car runs in self-driving mode, a safety driver is still present to monitor the ride. As the Tesla drove on its own, Sharma pointed out the technology at work and shared that the “5-minute ride cost about $4.5.”At the end of the video, he asked viewers, “Right now, the robotaxi has a person only for safety. But would you be okay riding in one without a driver?”The clip sparked buzz online, with many excited about the idea of driverless cars. “Crazy things only in SF. Would love to try soon!” one user wrote. Another added, “Future really pulled up to the curb.”Elon Musk’s Robotaxi ProjectElon Musk’s Robotaxi project has been eagerly awaited as a big step in self-driving cars. Tesla has long promised a fleet of autonomous taxis that could change city travel by lowering costs, reducing traffic, and relying less on human drivers.However, according to Reuters, Tesla’s plans in San Francisco do not include fully driverless taxis. The company hasn’t applied for the required permits, which involve years of state-supervised testing. Instead, the rides offered are pre-arranged trips in human-driven vehicles for invited riders only.A spokesperson from the California Public Utilities Commission, which oversees autonomous ride-hailing, said Tesla must clearly explain its service and make sure it distinguishes between the human-driven rides in California and the self-driving operations it offers elsewhere.
