By Aditya Soni (Reuters) -Tesla shares jumped 10% on Monday after the electric-vehicle maker started testing its long-awaited robotaxi service, a key step toward proving the technology that CEO Elon Musk has for years touted as a crucial driver of its lofty valuation.

While no one was in the driver's seat of the Tesla robotaxis, a front-seat rider acted as a "safety monitor" during the trial.

Tesla's long-awaited robotaxis rolled out for the first time on roads in Austin, Texas on Sunday. In videos shared by Tesla on X, a small group of invited analysts, influencers and shareholders were shown participating in paid rides.