You can soon ride Tesla's robotaxis in Arizona
What's the story
Tesla has been granted a ride-hailing permit by Arizona regulators, paving the way for the electric vehicle manufacturer to start its robotaxi service in the state. The approval comes after Tesla applied for a Transportation Network Company (TNC) permit on November 13 and met all necessary requirements by November 17, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT).
Regulation
Arizona's regulatory landscape for autonomous vehicles
Arizona has established itself as a testing ground for autonomous vehicle technology, with Alphabet-owned Waymo operating a robotaxi service in the Phoenix area since 2018. Under state law, companies must apply and self-certify to test autonomous vehicles with or without a driver. This process does not allow them to operate a ride-hailing service that charges for rides. Any company wanting to offer such services must apply for a TNC permit.
Testing timeline
Tesla's journey toward testing in Arizona
In June, Tesla approached ADOT about launching autonomous vehicle ride-sharing services and started the certification process. The company was interested in operating within the Phoenix Metro area. Later, it applied for permits to test and operate its vehicles with and without a driver. After completing Arizona's self-certification process in September, Tesla got permission from the state to test and operate its autonomous vehicles with a safety driver.
Service expansion
Tesla's existing robotaxi services and future plans
Earlier this year, Tesla launched a robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, with a safety monitor in front passenger seat. It also started a ride-hailing service in the San Francisco Bay Area using human drivers and its Full Self-Driving software. Now, with the TNC permit, Tesla is one step closer to its goal of operating vehicles without any drivers/monitors by year's end, though it still needs to comply with additional regulatory requirements for fully driverless operations.