Tesla Launches Robotaxi in Tampa & Orlando, + Big Change Coming to FSD!

This is car and robotaxi news, not a home energy story, so it has no real bearing on energy upgrades for your house. Tesla has switched on its robotaxi service in Tampa and Orlando, Florida, joining Miami, where it already runs a limited version. The coverage areas are small and reportedly aimed at tourists, though critics note that most visitors to Orlando, the world's top city for rental cars, already have a car, so the service may see more curiosity rides than real transportation use. Tesla has also deployed only a small number of vehicles so far, and some riders have had trouble getting the app to find a car at all.

Separately, Tesla says its "Full Self-Driving" software will start remembering individual driver preferences, such as which lane you like to use or where you like to park, tied to specific locations. The company also confirmed its Cybercab robotaxi vehicle will include Starlink satellite internet, mainly for navigation, customer service, and fleet tracking rather than for safe driving itself. On the company's earnings call, executives defended the slow, city-by-city robotaxi rollout as a safety-first approach, and said Tesla's Semi truck should get self-driving capability around the end of this year or early next.

None of this changes anything about insulation, heat pumps, rebates, or other home efficiency work. It is worth knowing about only if you happen to live near Tampa or Orlando and are curious about trying the service.