California – Tesla just got the green light to start testing its ride service in California, marking a small but significant step toward its ambitious goal of launching a fully autonomous taxi fleet. On Tuesday, state regulators granted the company a permit to transport its own employees in Tesla-owned vehicles, setting the stage for further testing and potential expansion.
The permit, issued by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), doesn’t allow Tesla to offer rides to the public just yet, but it does signal the company’s intent to compete in the growing autonomous ride-hailing sector. The biggest name in that space right now is Waymo, the self-driving taxi company owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet, which currently operates robot taxis in parts of California, including San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, has long touted the financial potential of robot taxis, claiming they could add trillions to the company’s market value. However, Tesla still faces significant regulatory hurdles before its autonomous taxis can hit California streets. While the CPUC handles permits for ride services, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is responsible for ensuring self-driving technology is safe enough for public roads. So far, Tesla has not applied for the necessary permits to deploy fully autonomous taxis without drivers…