June 22 (Reuters) - Electric car maker Tesla (TSLA.O) , opens new tab started a trial of its long-awaited robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, the first step toward what could be a showdown with Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) , opens new tab Waymo, the only player currently offering fully autonomous paid rides in the United States.

Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk has started off with about 10 Model Ys and promised to focus on safety. He says Tesla could scale quickly, and he plans a separate robotaxi vehicle.

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Social media influencers were seen booking and taking rides in the robotaxis in several Austin locations on Sunday, according to videos reposted by Musk.

Here is how Tesla's cybercab efforts compare with those of Waymo and Amazon.com-owned (AMZN.O) , opens new tab Zoox, which is preparing its own commercial launch:

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https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/how-teslas-robotaxi-efforts-stack-up-against-waymo-zoox-2025-06-22/