A new Tesla owner who drives for Uber shared his thoughts on driving 120,000 miles per year and getting his new Tesla.
It’s Kim Java interviewed her friend, Dobson, who drives over 300 miles a day for six days a week. He’s been driving for most of the decade in his Toyota Camry.
The costs of maintaining his vehicle and fuel add up to $2,000 per month. He has to pump gas every other day and get an oil change every other week. However, this is about to change.
Dobson Gets A Tesla
Kim and her family met Dobson when she had to use Uber for various trips. She’d been telling him for years that he needs to get a Tesla. Since electric vehicles don’t require gas or oil changes, Dobson would save at the very least the amount of money he was spending on maintenance.
Dobson shared that he had a talk with PJ, Kim’s husband, around five years ago.
“And the funny thing is each time he comes in my car, he wants to see how many miles I have done.”
PJ pointed out that Dobson could have driven to the moon and back with the number of miles he’s done on his car.
One problem was the price. Tesla’s are premium vehicles but PJ pointed out that over time, the price would balance out with the savings. Kim and her family encouraged their friend over the years and her video is day one of Dobson’s new life as a Tesla owner.
Another concern that Dobson had was that he wanted a work car and not a luxury car for driving for Uber. People get in and out of the cars and have luggage, groceries, or other packages and over time, this could damage the vehicle.
So I understand his reasoning completely.
399,000 & 277,000 miles on 2 different vehicles
Dobson put around 399,000 miles on his Toyota Camry. Upon reaching such high mileage, he purchased another one and ended up with 277,000 miles.
Dobson was inspired to buy the Tesla by a combination of things including the education and support from Kim and her husband. Other issues he brought up were the oil and gas prices.
And then Uber began sending Dobson messages Uber told him that he could rent a Tesla for less per week than what he was spending on gas which was $450.
This inspired Dobson to figure out which would be better: renting a Tesla through Uber from Hertz or buying his own Tesla, which he opted to do. The $900 per month car note is a lot less than the fuel costs for a month.
The Uber & Hertz Partnership will help a lot of drivers switch to EVs
Dobson’s story is not only inspiring, but it shows just how vital Uber and Hertz’s partnership is for drivers who want a Tesla but can’t afford one. You can watch Kim’s full video below.
Although Dobson didn’t rent his Tesla from Hertz, it was Uber’s message inviting him to rent a Tesla to save on gas that led him to make the switch from ICE to electric.
Elon Musk
Tesla officially launches Robotaxi service with no driver
Tesla launches its driverless Robotaxi in Austin, marking the first time the company has offered its ride-hailing service anywhere in the world.

Tesla has officially launched its Robotaxi service platform with no driver in Austin, Texas. This is the first time Tesla has allowed driverless Robotaxis to pick up members of the public and take them around via the ride-sharing service the company has been developing for several years.
Teslarati had a first-hand look at the launch of the Robotaxi service in Austin, as we are part of the Early Access group, which is a limited group of people that will be able to hail a driverless Model Y in the geofenced area in Texas.
The Robotaxi platform is currently geofenced in a small portion of South Austin. It is roughly thirty minutes from end to end, and Tesla’s strategy is prioritizing safety through a number of safeguards that are implemented in this early program.
There is a fixed price of just $4.20 for any ride, regardless of duration, at this time. This will not always be the case, however. When a wider customer base is allowed to hail Robotaxis, ride fares will vary on things like travel distance, length of trip, and potentially time of day.
Here’s one of the first videos of Tesla Robotaxi ride
🎥: @BLKMDL3 https://t.co/LbVLoLtFGQ pic.twitter.com/PUQIqCRLQo
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 22, 2025
The first rides kicked off at around 2 p.m. local time in Austin. They are confined to the back row of the Model Y, while a Tesla safety monitor sits in the passenger seat. Passengers will have their personal media and streaming settings available to them as the car will sync with their driver profiles.
Rides are requested through a Robotaxi addition on the regular Tesla iOS app:
🚨 Here’s our FIRST LOOK at the Tesla Robotaxi app! pic.twitter.com/kuEqP4n1SS
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 22, 2025
The safety monitor is only there to ensure things go smoothly with each ride. They do not have pedals or a steering wheel on their side. The car is doing everything during these Robotaxi rides.
The big takeaway from Robotaxi’s launch is that Tesla will begin generating additional revenue through this new stream. As concerns over demand and annual growth rate continue to take focus from doubters, Tesla’s continuous rollout of the Robotaxi fleet will expand potential revenue opportunities, potentially creating billions upon trillions of dollars in value.
This is something Tesla permabulls like Cathie Wood of ARK Invest and Dan Ives of Wedbush have talked about for years: the launch of a driverless Robotaxi fleet that generates new income streams for Tesla.
Elon Musk
First Look at Tesla’s Robotaxi App: features, design, and more
Tesla is using a Robotaxi section of its normal smartphone application to enable access to driverless vehicles roaming around Austin.

Tesla has officially launched the Robotaxi platform to a limited number of people, giving them the ability to ask for a ride from a driverless Model Y in Austin, Texas. But how do you hail a ride?
Through the Tesla Robotaxi app, which officially launched on June 22 as the company initiated the first rides for non-employees, people can request rides from driverless cars that are traveling around Austin. Teslarati gained access to the app as we are members of the Early Access Rider program.
There are only a very limited number of vehicles operating within the fleet currently, as Tesla has said the number is between 10 and 20 vehicles.
Tesla is using a Robotaxi section of its iOS smartphone app for the launch, confirming what the company said prior to the program’s maiden voyage: there would not be a separate app for the Robotaxi.
First Look at the Robotaxi App
The Tesla Robotaxi app, similar to the official Tesla App, features a simple interface that should be familiar to anyone who has used a ride-sharing app in the past. Downloading the app brings users to a sign-in page, which features a Tesla Model Y Robotaxi as a header image. Users can then log in or create an account to access the service.

A Clean, Simple UI
Upon logging in, users are presented with a clean user interface that allows them to select a destination and pickup point. Upon booking, users are provided with a real-time update on when their Robotaxi will arrive. Users could also select some settings for their upcoming ride, such as their preferred temperature in the cabin.
Smart Suggestions
If there is one evident thing about Tesla’s Robotaxi App, it is the fact that it is smart and designed to make driverless ride sharing services feel as normal as possible. While waiting for their ride, customers are presented with a number of tips that should help them understand their robotaxi better.
These include tips on how to use the Model Y’s door handles, as well as information about the vehicle’s light signals. The app also includes smart suggestions on destinations that riders can visit using their Robotaxi. These include cafes, restaurants, parks, shopping centers, and other pertinent locations.
Cybercab Theme
Another thing that is evident with the Robotaxi App is its Cybercab-inspired color theme. This is evident from the login page, which already features the golden hues of the dedicated two-seater autonomous car. The golden Cybercab color theme is used to great effect inside the app itself as well.
No Tips, at Least for Now
As observed by Tesla owner-enthusiast @BLKMDL3, Tesla is not accepting anything more than the service’s flat $4.20 rate per ride for now. If customers wish to leave a tip for the service, they would be presented with a page featuring Tesla’s hedgehog mascot saying “Just Kidding.”
Tips will likely be an option in the future, but for this stage of the Robotaxi rollout, it appears that the service really will follow a flat rate system.
News
Watch Tesla’s first driverless public Robotaxi rides in Texas
Tesla’s first driverless Robotaxi rides for non-employees are starting with the first drives beginning today.

Tesla has finally launched its Robotaxi platform to members of the public for the first time in Austin, Texas.
The Tesla Robotaxi platform is a driverless ride-hailing service that will enable people to use their cars for passive income as they will ride around, find riders, and drive them to their destinations in exchange for money. For right now, Tesla is using company vehicles, the Model Y specifically, and has opened up rides to a small number of people who are a part of the Early Access Program.
Teslarati is a member of the Early Access Program, as we were invited to Austin for the launch. We have gained access to Tesla’s new Robotaxi app, which lies within the main Tesla iOS app, and we are able to use the Robotaxi fleet during the Early Access Program.
The first rides are already occurring as Tesla launched the platform at around noon local time in Austin on Sunday:
EXCLUSIVE: First Tesla Robotaxi Rides Ever! https://t.co/13ldQtIn07— Herbert Ong (@herbertong) June 22, 2025
EXCLUSIVE: First Tesla Robotaxi Rides Ever! https://t.co/FrQ69b2QKO— Ale𝕏andra Merz 🇺🇲 (@TeslaBoomerMama) June 22, 2025
The video shows that Tesla’s initial Robotaxi rides are being quite cautious. Currently, the Robotaxis can only travel within a geofenced portion of Austin. This area will eventually be expanded.
For the time being, Tesla is keeping a safety rider in the vehicles with occupants, but they do not take up the driver’s seat. Instead, they are sitting in the passenger’s seat. This is simply a safety precaution that Tesla is using to keep Early Access riders safe, although there are ways riders can alert Tesla of any issues.
In the initial communication Tesla sent to members of the Early Access Rider program, the company said the Cabin Camera would be deactivated for the duration of their rides, but can be used if the rider needs support. Additionally, the in-cabin microphone will be deactivated, but can also be used to get in contact with support if there are any issues during the ride.
We have seen a variety of different Robotaxis rolling around Austin for the past several weeks. The company has been testing the vehicles in a very limited way for the time being, and it only has between 15 and 20 Robotaxis in the city for the launch. This number will slowly grow over time.
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