Tesla has started giving rides in driverless Model Y SUVs in Austin. Details are still sparse, but limited service is open to vetted and invited riders.

Elon Musk's Tesla enters the self-driving taxi game, an industry with big names like Waymo and Zoox in the U.S.

In ramping up robotaxi service, Tesla is hoping to slingshot past Waymo, another autonomous car service that operates in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Austin, according to its website. Last week, Waymo applied for a permit to test its vehicles in New York City.