Tesla to let Model Y owners earn via Robotaxi

Tesla said its new Full Self‑Driving V15 will give privately owned Model Y cars unsupervised, autonomous driving. The company plans the first customer vehicles to join the Robotaxi network in Q2 2027. Until now, the same software has only been used in Tesla’s own Cybercab fleet. FSD V15 will therefore let U.S. owners put their Model Y into the ride‑hailing service. The move is part of Tesla’s broader plan to let cars earn money while drivers sleep or work.

Geofenced areas and earnings

To become a Robotaxi, a customer car must join Tesla’s fleet‑management tools and be limited to geofenced areas where the service operates, such as Austin. Owners cannot send their vehicles anywhere they choose; the cars can only run within those zones. Tesla has yet to reveal how much a driver could earn, how insurance will be handled, or what technical criteria a vehicle must meet. The AI chief Ashok Elluswamy said the software powering the Cybercab and the Model Y robotaxis is essentially identical. These restrictions show the regulatory and operational hurdles Tesla still faces.

Meanwhile, Tesla is preparing to launch the pedal‑less Cybercab for customers by the end of 2026. Lars Moravy, Tesla’s vice‑president of manufacturing, said the Cybercabs would start small, with each unit first entering Tesla’s own fleet before being sold to customers. Elon Musk noted that the Cybercab will primarily serve as a Tesla‑owned ride‑hailing vehicle rather than a car parked in a driveway. The Model 3, Model Y and Roadster 2 remain the vehicles Tesla expects customers to actually own. The Cybercab rollout will help Tesla learn how delivery, ownership and fleet management work in customer hands.

If Tesla delivers on its timetable, Model Y owners could earn money while their cars drive themselves, turning idle vehicles into a side income stream. However, regulators, insurers and everyday owners may still need to be convinced before the program can launch fully. Tesla is taking a cautious approach, planning to start small and scale up once the system proves reliable. The next steps will involve testing the technology, securing approvals and establishing insurance frameworks.