New York, Jan 23, 2026, 09:33 ET — Regular session underway.
- Tesla shares jumped roughly 4% in early Friday trading following Elon Musk’s announcement that the company has launched robotaxi rides in Austin without safety monitors inside the cars.
- Shares of Uber and Lyft dropped in early trading, underscoring persistent market concerns that robotaxis could directly undercut ride-hailing demand.
- Investors are shifting focus to Tesla’s quarterly report out on Jan. 28, looking for insights on how the company is scaling autonomy and the financials driving it.
Tesla Inc shares climbed 4.1% to $449.36 early Friday following CEO Elon Musk’s announcement that the company has begun robotaxi rides in Austin, Texas, operating without safety monitors in the vehicles.
This update is crucial since Tesla’s stock now hinges heavily on expectations around self-driving and robotics, beyond just vehicle sales. With earnings set for next week, investors are eager for any indication that these ventures can generate real revenue instead of remaining proof-of-concept demos.
Tesla will release its quarterly earnings on Jan. 28. Investors are keen to hear updates on rollout speed, expenses, and any revised timelines from Musk, who frequently pledges rapid advancement in autonomy.
Musk announced Thursday that Tesla has begun robotaxi rides in Austin with no safety drivers onboard, Reuters reported.
Tesla’s autonomy lead, Ashok Elluswamy, laid out a staged rollout on X: beginning with a small number of unsupervised vehicles alongside the supervised fleet. He added that “the ratio will increase over time.” The safety monitor refers to a human rider in the car who can step in if necessary. The Verge
The service remains restricted and isn’t fully available to the public yet, operating on waitlists in Austin and San Francisco, reported. Waymo, owned by Alphabet, already runs a commercial robotaxi fleet without safety drivers inside, underscoring the gap Tesla must close to satisfy regulators and riders before it can truly scale.
Ride-hailing shares took a hit. Uber dropped roughly 2% and Lyft dipped around 1.5% in early trading. Meanwhile, the broader market edged up, with the QQQ ETF gaining about 0.7%.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Musk spotlighted Tesla’s humanoid robot efforts. “By the end of next year I think we’d be selling humanoid robots to the public,” he said, noting Optimus might hit the market as early as 2027. Investopedia
Investors have seen ambitious deadlines from Tesla before, and the dangers tied to autonomy are still clear. Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” tech is actually Level 2 driver assistance, which means drivers need to remain alert. A major accident or regulatory crackdown could stall progress and weaken the narrative fueling the stock. The Verge
Tesla’s next report drops Jan. 28, bringing fresh scrutiny on the Austin pilot. Investors will want details on expansion plans, operating costs, and how fast Tesla can scale from a small fleet to a full-fledged business.
