Driverless Milestone: Tesla Car Travels Solo from Factory to Home, Starting at ₹34 Lakh

California (The Uttam Hindu) :  Tesla has reached a major milestone in the development of autonomous driving technology. On Friday, CEO Elon Musk announced that a Tesla Model Y successfully drove itself from a factory to a customer’s home — completely unassisted by humans — in what is being hailed as the company’s first fully autonomous vehicle delivery.

 A Historic Ride

“The first fully autonomous delivery of a Tesla Model Y from factory to a customer home across town, including highways, was just completed a day ahead of schedule!!” Musk shared in a post on X (formerly Twitter). He emphasized that no one was inside the vehicle and no remote operators were involved during the trip. “FULLY autonomous! To the best of our knowledge, this is the first fully autonomous drive with no people in the car or remotely operating the car on a public highway,” he added.

 Context & Competitors

Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software has been in development for several years, with multiple delays pushing back its public rollout. Musk initially predicted full autonomy would be achieved by the end of 2017 — a goal that was repeatedly postponed. Despite the delays, this achievement marks a critical success in Tesla’s autonomy journey.

Although this Model Y’s self-directed journey sets a new benchmark, Tesla is not alone in the autonomous vehicle space. Competitor Waymo received regulatory approval in 2024 to test driverless cars on highways. However, its robotaxis still do not carry passengers on interstates. Similarly, Aurora’s self-driving freight trucks have been operational in Texas since May 2025, including navigating major highways like Interstate 45 at speeds between 70 and 75 mph.

Tesla Engineer Shares Details

In a post on X, Ashok Elluswamy, a Tesla engineer, revealed that the Model Y reached speeds of up to 72 mph during the autonomous journey. Musk responded to the update by calling the speed “Zippy!”, reflecting his enthusiasm about the vehicle’s performance.

Route Details Not Disclosed

Tesla has not yet released the specific route taken by the autonomous Model Y, nor have they clarified the varying speed limits along the drive. Additionally, the company has not provided further comment to media inquiries, including those from Business Insider.

Tesla’s successful completion of an entirely human-free, self-driving delivery could represent a turning point in consumer-grade autonomous vehicle deployment. If proven reliable at scale, this breakthrough may redefine both last-mile delivery and the broader automotive landscape. As industry giants and regulators watch closely, Tesla’s latest achievement could accelerate momentum toward a future where driverless personal transport is not just a concept—but a commercial reality.