Tesla’s making big changes to its Robotaxi service. The company updated its rules last week to allow teenagers between 13 and 17 years old to ride in its autonomous vehicles. But there’s a catch – they can’t ride alone. An adult must be with them, and parents or legal guardians need to give their consent first.
The new rules don’t stop there. Tesla’s also bumping up the number of people who can ride together. Before, only two passengers could share a Robotaxi. Now three people can ride at once. This change makes the service more useful for small groups and families who want to travel together.
These updates come as Tesla runs its pilot program in Austin, Texas. The company’s preparing to expand the service to more people, though it’s still only available in Texas and California. The changes help Tesla compete better with ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft.
Tesla’s approach differs from its main competitor, Waymo. While Tesla requires teens to ride with adults, Waymo lets teenagers as young as 14 ride alone in the Metro Phoenix area. Waymo even has special support agents trained to help teen riders and lets parents track trips in real-time if teens choose to share their location.
The updated rules include strict safety requirements. Everyone must wear seatbelts during the entire ride. Passengers can’t touch the steering wheel or pedals, and the driver’s seat stays blocked off. Tesla doesn’t allow smoking or drinking alcohol in the vehicles. The company can charge extra fees if passengers leave trash behind or damage the car.
There’s also a weight limit of 800 pounds for all passengers combined. Only small, trained service dogs can ride – no other pets allowed. Tesla bans measuring or monitoring devices to prevent people from spying on the technology, though passengers can take photos and videos with their phones.
One important restriction remains unchanged. The person who books the ride through the app must be in the car. Nobody can book a Robotaxi for someone else to use.