Since last month, Tesla’s robotaxi service has already been out and about in Austin, Texas. Despite some issues with traffic laws – and the fact that the first robotaxis are just Tesla Model Y units that drive themselves (with human supervision), far from the Cybercab that has no steering wheel or pedals – Elon Musk is optimistic about its rollout and upcoming expansion.
Tesla
Tesla, Inc. is an American electric vehicle manufacturer largely attributed to driving the EV revolution. Through the Model S and subsequent products, Tesla has innovated and challenged industry conventions on numerous fronts, including over-the-air updates, self-driving technology, and automotive construction methods. Tesla is considered the world’s most valuable car brand as of 2023, and the Model Y the world’s best-selling car in the same year, but the brand’s greatest achievement is arguably the Supercharger network of EV charging stations.
- Founded
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July 1, 2003
- Founder
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Martin Eberhard, Marc Tarpenning
- Headquarters
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Austin, Texas, USA
- Owned By
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Publicly Traded
- Current CEO
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Elon Musk
The initial expansion will be in Austin, which will cover a larger service area. Details of that expansion aren’t available at this point, but Musk said on X that it’s happening this weekend. Meanwhile, Tesla Owners Silicon Valley asked the Tesla CEO about the robotaxi’s expansion to San Francisco, to which Musk said “probably in a month or two” and that Tesla is currently waiting for regulatory approvals.
Robotaxi Is Coming To San Francisco
If you’re from the Bay Area waiting for Tesla’s self-driving Model Ys, well, we have bad news for you. It seems like Musk overestimated the fast rollout of robotaxi and forgot the necessary steps to push it. According to a Reuters report dated July 10, a spokesperson for California’s Department of Motor Vehicles said that “Tesla has not applied for either a driverless testing or deployment permit.”
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The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) echoes the email sent to Reuters, saying that the Texas-based automaker hasn’t applied for any new permits. The commission also reconfirmed a permit that Tesla possesses, which was for a so-called transportation charter-party carrier permit. That permit will allow Tesla to own and operate a fleet of vehicles for ride-hailing services, but not without a driver behind the tiller.
But Arizona Could Get It Sooner
Unfortunately, the California offices that Reuters contacted did not provide a timeline for the approval process, so we’re not sure how soon Tesla will be able to roll out robotaxi if it applies for the permits as early as tomorrow. That said, there’s one location that the Tesla robotaxi is expected to expand on after Texas, and that’s Arizona.
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According to an email to Reuters, Tesla has already applied to test and operate robotaxis within the Phoenix Metro area, with and without a driver. The decision for that application will be out by the end of the month, according to Arizona’s Department of Transportation.
Source: Reuters
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