Tesla Robotaxi Runs 24/7 as Musk Points to Optimus Academy

Tesla’s Robotaxi service now operates around the clock in every city where it is available, and Elon Musk said each vehicle works 168 hours a week. Operating hours have gradually expanded since late October, allowing riders to book trips at any time within service areas, according to BeInCrypto. Tesla lists eight Robotaxi cities in Texas and Florida, with San Antonio the newest addition. It also operates a ride-hailing service with safety drivers in the San Francisco Bay Area, where most rides use the Model Y. The two-seat Cybercab operates only in Austin and is set to replace Cybertruck output at Tesla’s Texas plant in 2027. Musk also pointed to Optimus Academy, a training site for Tesla’s humanoid robots that he discussed on the company’s third-quarter earnings call. He said Tesla needs “on the order of 10,000 or 20,000 bots” to practice tasks through self-play. Unlike Robotaxi, which draws on driving data from millions of customer cars, Optimus will initially learn by watching people before practicing through trial and error; Musk compared the process to raising a toddler. Tesla stock has climbed back toward $400 after a sharp dip earlier this month but remains lower for the year. Wedbush analyst Dan Ives sees robotaxis and Optimus as growth drivers, while ARK Invest ties most of Tesla’s 2031 value to a business beyond car sales.