by Tesla Begins Testing Robotaxi in San Francisco
Tesla is expanding testing of its Robotaxi service by starting a limited launch in San Francisco. Unlike in Austin, where autonomous vehicles are already operating, in California, each “robotaxi” will have a driver behind the wheel for safety. This is because the company has not yet received the necessary permits from regulators for fully driverless mode.
Limitations and Future Plans
Currently, Tesla cannot offer the service to the general public in California. Instead, the company has limited access to the test program, including only selected groups. Although Tesla has already submitted a request to expand its permits, it has not yet received the right for commercial use of the technology. This indicates that the project is in its early stages of development.
Interestingly, in Austin, where regulatory requirements are less strict, Tesla is already testing autonomous vehicles, but with an employee in the passenger seat. In San Francisco, however, the company must adhere to a more conservative approach, which may affect the pace of technology development in this region. It is expected that in the future Tesla will receive permission for full-scale testing without drivers, bringing it closer to a large-scale launch of Robotaxi.
