Tesla has announced what it calls a breakthrough in autonomous vehicle capability: a Model Y crossover that drove itself from the company’s Gigafactory in Austin, Texas, to a customer’s home across town—without a driver, passenger, or remote operator involved at any stage of the journey. The vehicle reportedly completed the trip entirely on public roads, including city streets and highways, and reached a top speed of 72 miles per hour.
According to Tesla, this marks the first time a production vehicle has autonomously completed a delivery to a retail customer without any human onboard or monitoring the drive remotely. The company described the event as a milestone in its long-running Full Self-Driving (FSD) program, which has faced multiple delays and regulatory scrutiny since its initial promise of full autonomy nearly a decade ago.
Congrats! pic.twitter.com/Wur50Gov4l
— Tesla (@Tesla) June 28, 2025
The autonomous delivery comes just days after Tesla quietly launched its first robotaxi service in Austin using the Model Y platform. Those vehicles currently operate with a Tesla employee in the front passenger seat acting as a safety observer, while a remote operations team monitors the vehicle from a central command center. By contrast, the Model Y delivery reportedly operated without any direct human oversight—representing a significant escalation in Tesla’s push toward fully autonomous mobility.
Tesla’s head of artificial intelligence software also confirmed the vehicle's speed and route on social media, stating that the system performed without incident.
Other companies in the autonomous driving space—most notably Alphabet’s Waymo and GM’s Cruise—have been testing and, in some cases, operating autonomous ride-hailing services in limited U.S. markets. However, those systems typically involve either geofenced zones, employee-only access, or active remote supervision. Tesla’s delivery claims suggest a level of system confidence that goes beyond current industry norms, especially in terms of highway driving without a human fallback.
The announcement comes at a strategically important moment for Tesla. The company is preparing to report its second-quarter delivery results, which many analysts expect will reflect a decline compared to the same period last year. Tesla’s recent moves in the autonomy space may be designed to reassure investors and consumers of the brand’s long-term innovation pipeline—even as near-term sales pressures mount across the EV segment.
Tesla has not disclosed whether more autonomous deliveries are scheduled, or whether the event was a one-time demonstration. As with prior Tesla announcements related to Full Self-Driving, the claim is expected to attract regulatory attention, particularly if the drive occurred without permitting or oversight from local authorities.
For now, the June 27 trip remains a high-profile—and highly symbolic—moment in the ongoing race toward driverless vehicle deployment. Whether it sets a new benchmark or simply accelerates an already crowded field of competitors remains to be seen. What is clear is that Tesla is attempting to position itself not just as an EV maker, but as a leader in fully autonomous vehicle logistics and delivery.
Photo: Tesla/YouTube.
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