The service kicked off as scheduled aboard Tesla's Model Y vehicles, with customers paying a $4.20 flat fee to ride.

The automaker deployed a small fleet of self-driving taxis in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, marking the first time its cars have carried paying passengers without human drivers. The rides were being offered for a flat fee of $4.20 in a limited zone.

Tesla's long-promised venture into autonomous taxi service finally arrived over the weekend, as the streets of Austin, Texas, officially became a proving ground for the company's new Robotaxi ride-hailing service.