Tesla expands robotaxi service to San Francisco without key permits

In a significant move, Tesla, owned by Elon Musk, is set to expand its early robotaxi service to San Francisco.

The move follows the limited rollout of the service last month in Austin, Texas.

According to a report from Business Insider, Tesla reportedly plans to send invitations to selected vehicle owners in San Francisco to test the service, even though the company might be operating outside of California’s regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles.

Currently, Tesla only holds a permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) that allows it to test autonomous vehicles with a human safety driver behind the wheel.

However, the company has not applied for permits to test or deploy autonomous vehicles without a driver, which are required for full driverless operation.

As of now, only Mercedes-Benz, Nuro, and Waymo have secured such driverless deployment permits from the DMV.

Additionally, Tesla lacks the necessary authorisations from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), which oversees commercial ride-hailing and transportation services involving autonomous vehicles.

While Tesla holds a Transportation Charter Party (TCP) permit, it only covers charter services operated by human drivers in traditional vehicles, not autonomous ones.

According to CPUC spokesperson Terrie Prosper, Tesla’s current permit does not allow it to offer passenger rides in self-driving cars, whether or not a safety driver is present.

This move could raise legal and regulatory challenges, as it attempts to operate what appears to be an early-stage robotaxi service without the full range of approvals required in California.