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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Tesla has launched its driverless ride-hailing service in Tampa, according to a post from the company’s X account.

Tesla’s autonomous robotaxi rides are now being offered in a small portion of the city, which includes parts of West Tampa and Tampa Heights, a map of the service area shows.

The company’s recent expansion in the Sunshine State includes limited service areas in Orlando and Miami. The initiative was first launched in June 2025 in Texas, with robotaxis also available to riders in Dallas, Houston and Austin.

The service functions similarly to other ride share platforms, with travelers able to download Tesla’s robotaxi app to request a ride. Users can see a map of the service area and a price estimate for their route.

So far, Tesla’s fleet of robotaxis appears to consist only of Model Y vehicles.

Tesla will be competing with Waymo as the company continues to roll out its driverless taxi service in cities across the U.S., including Tampa.

Waymo began testing its cars in Tampa in December 2025 and has said the vehicles will soon hit the streets without a human behind the wheel.

8 On Your Side has reached out to Tesla for more information on its robotaxi rides and the expansion into Tampa.

This is a developing story. Stay up to date on the latest from News Channel 8 on-air and on the go with the free WFLA News Channel 8 mobile app.

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