Tesla has gotten a permit to operate a ride-hailing service in Arizona, marking a big step in the company’s push toward getting more EVs on the road.
The Arizona Department of Transportation confirmed that Tesla applied for its “transportation network company” permit on Nov. 13 and received approval days later. This opens the door for autonomous Tesla service in Phoenix, one of the country’s most competitive and largest testing grounds for driverless vehicles.
CNBC reported that Tesla will still need additional permits before launching fully autonomous ride-hailing. The company is already running a pilot program in Austin, Texas, and applied this summer to conduct autonomous testing in Phoenix with and without human safety drivers on board. CEO Elon Musk has said the company plans to remove safety drivers in Austin by the end of this year and begin commercial operations in multiple U.S. cities by next year…