Tesla’s robotaxi reality check

After years of grand promises about how robotaxis would change the way we buy and use our cars, Tesla finally launched its taxi service. In one small portion of one city. With only a few cars and a few riders. Plus safety monitors in the passenger seat. Caution is a good thing in this industry, but what does all this say about where Tesla’s self-driving efforts really stand?

On this episode of The Vergecast, The Verge’s Andy Hawkins tells us all about the early days of Tesla robotaxis. He talks us through the somewhat stealthy launch, how Tesla’s robotaxi plans could grow from here, and why nobody — not even Waymo, which appears to be way ahead — has this race won.

Subscribe: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Overcast | Pocket Casts | More

After that, The Verge’s Allison Johnson joins the show to dive deep on MVNOs. In the United States, the cell market is controlled by a couple of carriers and a lot of lock-in. But it doesn’t have to be that way, and a series of technical changes like e-SIMs and MVNOs could change the way we think about our cell service. Sometimes for good… and sometimes not. Who knew Ryan Reynolds could be such a tech innovator?

Finally, we answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email [email protected]!) about how to free up space on your iPhone. It’s a frustrating problem, made worse by Apple’s underwhelming tech and absurd pricing, but there are a few ways to make your life a little easier.

If you want to know more about everything we discuss in this episode, here are some links to get you started: