Tesla adds Orlando and Tampa to robotaxi service network ahead of earnings

Tesla (TSLA) has expanded its robotaxi service to Orlando and Tampa, Florida, with the company announcing the addition of the two cities in a post on X as it works to broaden its autonomous ride-hailing operations.

The expansion comes ahead of Tesla’s second-quarter earnings report, where investors are expected to focus on the company’s progress in autonomous driving technology. Robotaxis have become an important part of Tesla’s future strategy as CEO Elon Musk places greater emphasis on artificial intelligence, self-driving technology, and humanoid robots.

Tesla (TSLA) began its robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, in June last year and has since extended the service to Dallas, Houston, and Miami. The company is also carrying out supervised testing in California’s San Francisco Bay Area.

The pace of Tesla’s robotaxi rollout has drawn attention from investors after the company fell short of some expansion goals. Musk has said Tesla (TSLA) is taking a careful approach, with safety testing influencing how quickly the service can be expanded.

Tesla’s autonomous driving system uses cameras and artificial intelligence-based software, unlike Alphabet-owned (GOOG) Waymo’s lidar-based approach. Tesla (TSLA) has also said it plans to eventually deploy its Cybercab vehicle, which is being developed without traditional driving controls such as pedals and a steering wheel.

Shares were trading about 3.6% up on Tuesday.