Tesla's Robotaxis Set for Debut in San Francisco by Week's End: Source Confirms
Tesla Prepares to Launch Robotaxi Service in San Francisco, but Regulatory Hurdles Remain
Tesla is gearing up to expand its Robotaxi service, with plans to launch in San Francisco as early as this weekend. However, the company has not yet received approval from California regulators to operate a fully autonomous Robotaxi service in the Bay Area.
According to reports, Tesla has been in talks to expand its Robotaxi service to Phoenix, Arizona, and Nevada. The company's Robotaxi service currently holds a permit to test its autonomous driving system with a safety driver in California, but it has not applied for a driverless testing or deployment permit.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has confirmed that Tesla lacks authorization to provide autonomous passenger service, whether paid or unpaid, with or without a safety driver. Tesla currently holds a charter permit allowing transport with human drivers, but this does not extend to using autonomous vehicles for commercial passenger service in California.
Tesla's broader plan to expand its robotaxi pilot program to the Bay Area remains contingent on obtaining regulatory approvals from California’s DMV and CPUC. Until such permits are granted, Tesla must comply with existing rules requiring human drivers in commercial passenger operations within the state.
In contrast to the current Robotaxi pilot in Austin, Texas, the Bay Area launch will have Tesla Safety Monitors behind the wheel with full access to the steering wheel and brake pedal. It remains unclear if Tesla will need additional approvals to operate a paid Robotaxi service with a human monitor behind the wheel in California.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced the launch of a ride-hailing service operating with human safety drivers in the Bay Area, but the company has not applied for or been granted permits to operate fully driverless robotaxis. The reported "ride-hailing" service in San Francisco and surrounding areas is therefore operating with safety drivers and using Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (supervised) technology, but it is not classified nor authorized as a robotaxi service under California’s stricter autonomous vehicle regulations.
Tesla plans to invite select Tesla owners in the Bay Area to start booking paid Robotaxi rides as early as Friday. During the initial launch, a safety operator will be in the front seat.
In a memo sent to Tesla staff on Thursday, the company announced its plans for the Bay Area launch. The memo was reportedly viewed by Business Insider. Tesla has not revealed further details about its expansion plans, including the exact date of the launch and the areas it will cover.
Despite the regulatory hurdles, Tesla's ambition to revolutionize transportation with its Robotaxi service remains undeterred. During Tesla's Q2 earnings call, Elon Musk promised that "half the population of the U.S." will have access to the Robotaxi service by the end of the year.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/technology/tesla-robotaxi-service-could-launch-san-francisco-weekend-report-2021-09-15/ [2] https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-robotaxi-launch-san-francisco-this-weekend-california-regulatory-hurdles-2021-9 [3] https://www.californiahighways.org/2021/09/15/tesla-robotaxi-service-to-launch-in-san-francisco-this-weekend-without-driverless-permits/ [4] https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/tesla-robotaxi-service-san-francisco-launch-regulatory-hurdles/
- Despite plans to expand its Robotaxi service to San Francisco, Tesla's ambition to offer a fully autonomous service remains contingent on obtaining regulatory approvals from California's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
- In the meantime, Tesla is gearing up to invite select Tesla owners in the Bay Area to start booking paid Robotaxi rides as early as Friday, with a safety operator in the front seat due to the lack of driverless permits.
