Musk: Tesla Robotaxi to Expand Across U.S. by 2026, Optimus Robot Sales Targeted for 2027 - TSLA

Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced at the World Economic Forum on January 20, 2026, that the company's robotaxi service will be "very, very widespread" across the U.S. by year-end 2026, while the Optimus humanoid robot is expected to launch for public sale by late 2027. The robotaxi program began in Austin in June 2025 with human safety supervisors and expanded to San Francisco, though fully autonomous operations remain restricted due to regulatory hurdles. Waymo leads the self-driving taxi market, having launched in five U.S. cities by late 2025, including Miami on January 20, 2026. Tesla has not yet secured permits for driverless testing on public roads. Musk said Optimus robots are already handling basic tasks in factories and will manage more complex duties by late 2026. Public sales depend on achieving high reliability and functionality. This timeline refines his earlier estimate of enterprise deliveries in late 2026. Musk reiterated that Optimus could represent 80% of Tesla’s future value, but warned production ramp-up for Optimus and Cybercab will be slow.