Electric carmaker Tesla launched a limited version of its driverless taxi service in Austin, Texas, this week. Chief executive Elon Musk has touted the "robotaxis" as a potential boon for the company and its customers, eventually offering car owners a way to make money off their vehicles when they aren't using them.

The company debuted its autonomous ride-hailing service Sunday. The limited program is invite-only and uses around 20 cars—signs that Tesla has a long way to go to catch up to its robotaxi rivals.

Tesla rolled out its robotaxis in Austin on Sunday, June 22, with a small number of vehicles servicing a select group of influencers with rideshare services. The launch came a few days after Texas lawmakers called on Tesla to delay its robotaxi service debut in order to operate in tandem with a new state law regulating autonomous vehicles.