By Karan Singh
Another month, another milestone for Tesla’s Robotaxi program. As of
yesterday, some of Tesla’s Robotaxis in Austin have begun operating on
highways. This is an exciting step forward for the service, as it
demonstrates how the software is evolving to handle even more challenging
environments and moving beyond just low-speed city streets.
Robotaxi beta testers observed this development on unmarked test vehicles.
Tesla’s
first autonomous vehicle delivery in Austin
went on the highway without a safety monitor. However, here, Tesla is not
only relying on a safety monitor in the passenger seat, but they’ve
actually put someone behind the wheel.
Sept 1 in Austin and our Robotaxi arrived with Tesla safety driver in
the driver seat, similar to the Bay area (no logo on the car). Here’s
that first moment when I realized, our autonomous car was heading onto
the freeway.
pic.twitter.com/1QfyN2Ubzf— Gail 🇺🇸 (@gailalfaratx)
September 2, 2025
Two Steps Forward, One Step Back
Interestingly, the Robotaxis driving on Austin’s highways are not the same
as the publicly branded network vehicles serving in the invite-only beta
program. These new test vehicles aren’t sporting the Robotaxi branding,
suggesting they’re part of a more dedicated engineering fleet tasked with
validating the next level of Robotaxis.
These unbranded engineering vehicles sport a safety driver – not a monitor
– a driver who is sitting in the driver’s seat, similar to the
Bay Area Ridesharing Network.
This setup suggests that highway use is in the very early stages, and that
Tesla is using a specialized fleet to test and validate the software’s
performance in these new scenarios before this capability is eventually
rolled out to the wider Robotaxi service.
Highway Driving is Big
The expansion of Robotaxi’s service to include highways is another
milestone for the program that
has seen gradual but consistent improvements. For a ride-hailing service to be truly viable and compete with
human-driven alternatives like Uber and Lyft, it must be able to offer
efficient, end-to-end trips that seamlessly connect different parts of a
metropolitan area.
Highway driving introduces a whole new set of complexities for an
autonomous system. It requires FSD to master high-speed merges, navigate
complex interchanges, and confidently change lanes in fast-moving traffic.
At the same time, during traffic, like in rush hour, it needs to do all
those things except at a crawl.
Most accidents on the highway tend to happen at low speeds during rush
hour as humans try to weave between lanes. FSD needs to be smooth enough
to allow for a comfortable trip, but aggressive enough to intervene when
needed.
Successfully handling these scenarios is a non-negotiable requirement for
any transportation service. While the addition of highways appears to be
in a controlled testing phase, its appearance on public roads is the
clearest sign yet that Tesla is advancing toward a Robotaxi service that
can handle the full spectrum of urban and suburban travel.
The real test will be how quickly Tesla transitions from a safety driver to
a passenger-seat monitor for highway use.
By Karan Singh
In a classic move, Tesla included an Easter egg in a Cybercab video clip.
In the video, the Cybercab model was briefly seen being carved out of
clay while Tesla discussed
Part IV of its Master Plan.
In the background of the video, you can see large models of what appear to
be a Cybertruck-based SUV — commonly referred to as the CyberSUV.
Given Tesla’s genuinely secretive nature of their Design Studio, these
were clearly placed in the shot for a reason, rather than being carelessly
left out. This is the strongest hint we’ve seen to date that Tesla is
taking customer feedback for the need for a larger SUV seriously. While
the Model Y L is definitely a step in the right direction, it’s still on
the smaller side for North America, especially when competing with larger
luxury SUVs like the Esclade IQ or the EV9.
CyberSUV in a Nutshell
While the models were only seen in the background, the concept of a
CyberSUV is one that has been a topic of speculation since the Cybertruck
was first unveiled. The idea is to create a large, comfortable, 7-seater
SUV that combines the unique, rugged, and futuristic aesthetic of the
Cybertruck with the comfort and practicality of a luxury family hauler.
Such a vehicle would likely share the Cybertruck’s core technological DNA,
including its 48-volt architecture, steer-by-wire system, and adaptive
air suspension. However, it would trade the tonneau and truck bed for a
fully enclosed, three-row interior, creating the ultimate family
adventure vehicle.
But Is It Real?
Tesla hasn’t said they’re going to build a Cybertruck-based SUV, but it
makes sense that the Cybertruck chassis would be used for something beyond
the Cybertruck. The appearance of scale models in the design studio isn’t
a sign that Tesla is building this larger SUV, but rather it’s a sign that
Tesla has heard from its owners and is considering it.
The design team is constantly exploring new ideas and creating models for
concepts that may or may not ever reach production.
However, a teaser like this is often Tesla’s way of gauging public
interest and dropping hints about its future roadmap. The fact that the
models were so clearly, even if briefly, visible in a major official video
suggests that this is something they’re looking into seriously.
A Perfect Fit for the Lineup
While unconfirmed, a CyberSUV makes a tremendous amount of sense for
Tesla’s product lineup, especially in North America. It would leverage
the Cybertruck platform to create a new vehicle that would compete in the
highly profitable large luxury SUV segment.
There is a massive, unfulfilled demand for a large, 7-seater electric
family hauler. A CyberSUV would be a direct competitor to vehicles like
the Cadillac Escalade iQ or the
R1S, offering a combination of a radical design and advanced technology that
no other vehicle on the market can match.
Plus, there is space on the assembly line in Giga Texas. The Cybertruck
line is designed to build 150,000 vehicles a year, but Tesla is
currently only producing around 50,000. Filling the gap with the CyberSUV
may be a way to get the line running to most of its capacity, while also
fulfilling a demand zone that Tesla hasn’t yet addressed.
For now, this remains a tantalizing glimpse into the Tesla Design Studio.
But the appearance of these models is the strongest evidence yet that
Tesla is seriously considering a Cybertruck-based SUV, a vehicle that
could be its next major hit.
By Karan Singh
Tesla’s Master Plans have always served as the company’s guiding light, a
series of ambitious but surprisingly simple roadmaps that have guided its
transformation from a niche startup into a global powerhouse.
Master Plan Part I outlined the simple, brilliant strategy that drove
Tesla’s growth: build a high-margin sports car, use the profits to
develop a more affordable vehicle, and then use those profits to create
even more affordable cars.
Master Plan Part II expanded that vision to include an integrated energy
ecosystem with solar and battery storage, both at home with Powerwall, and
at grid-scale with Megapack.
Master Plan Part III
was a technical deep dive into the engineering required to scale
everything to a fully sustainable global economy.
Now, Tesla and Elon Musk have finally released Master Plan, Part IV, and it
represents the most significant evolution of the company’s mission to
date. The next chapter moves beyond just creating sustainable products to a
future of sustainable abundance.
The Foundation is Built
The new plan frames the first two decades of Tesla’s existence, focusing
on the development of electric vehicles, the creation of energy products,
and the initial steps into humanoid robotics, as the necessary groundwork
for what is to come.
We have been working tirelessly for nearly two decades to create the
foundation for this technological renaissance.
This is a good way to consider Tesla’s history so far, and exactly what
they’ve accomplished to become the leader in EV production and battery
storage globally. The Roadster, Model S, Powerwall, and even the early
versions of Optimus were not just individual products; they were the
essential tools and capabilities Tesla needed to build and develop before
moving on towards its greater goals.
Having mastered manufacturing at scale, battery technology, and the
fundamentals of real-world AI, Tesla is now ready to combine everything
for the next great leap forward.
AI in the Physical World
If the previous plans were about building the pieces and laying the
groundwork, Master Plan Part IV is about bringing them all together into a
unified whole, powered by a single, overarching force: artificial
intelligence. The new plan makes it clear that Tesla’s future is not just
as a car company or as an energy company, but as a leader in bringing AI
into the physical world at a scale that has never been seen before.
The mission is no longer just to accelerate the transition towards
sustainable electricity. Now, the goal has become much greater: to
accelerate global prosperity and human thriving, driven by economic growth
that is shared by all. Tesla’s new plan is about sustainable abundance,
which we’ve heard before. It’s built around labor (Optimus), mobility
(autonomy), and energy (Powerwall and Megapack), all tied together with AI.
The Guiding Principles of Sustainable Abundance
Underpinning Tesla’s new mission are a series of bold, philosophical
guiding principles.
The plan asserts that growth is infinite, directly challenging today’s
ideas of a zero-sum economy, where growth must eventually slow down or
stop due to a lack of resources to provide products and services.
Tesla argues that just as the semiconductor and the internet have expanded
opportunities for humanity beyond what was imaginable half a century ago,
Tesla expects the next generation to also be driven by new opportunities.
Innovation removes the constraints that hinder progress, both economically
and technologically. Tesla’s own history is proof of that. When the Tesla
Roadster initially took off, nobody believed that Tesla would become the
enormous corporation it is today, having kick-started the entire electric
vehicle revolution. Tesla overcame the perceived limitations of battery
technology as proof that seemingly impossible problems can be solved.
Tesla wraps up their new master plan with an important statement. Autonomy
must benefit all of humanity. The ultimate goal of Tesla’s technology is
sustainable abundance, and that means for everyone. Making human life
better and safer for everyone is key to maximizing what is truly our most
limited resource: time.
A New North Star
Master Plan, Part IV, is Tesla’s most audacious and abstract plan yet.
It’s less of a product roadmap and more of a manifesto for the future that
Elon envisions Tesla will create. It acknowledges that the challenges
ahead will be some of the most difficult the company has ever faced, and
that many will perceive its mission as impossible.
However, Tesla’s message is clear. It has the necessary tools and
expertise, built over the last two decades, to take the next great leap.
The mission has evolved from simply building a sustainable world to
building one that’s truly abundant.
Elon stated that Master Plan Part Deux, his second master plan, will be
completed by Tesla next year. After being prodded on X, he also confirmed
that he will add more specifics to Master Plan Part IV. For now, though,
you can read the
entirety of Master Plan, Part IV here.