Tesla's robotaxi rollout plans for San Francisco facing major roadblocks
What's the story
Tesla is gearing up to launch an even more limited version of its robotaxi service in San Francisco this weekend, according to Business Insider. The move comes after an initial rollout in Austin, Texas, last month. However, the company will only invite select Tesla owners to test the new service, according to the report.
Compliance issues
Tesla's plans may violate state regulations
Tesla's plans for its robotaxi service could violate California state regulations. The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) oversee different aspects of autonomous vehicles in the state. Tesla has a permit to test autonomous vehicles with a human safety operator behind the wheel, but lacks permits for driverless testing or deployment.
Permit status
No permit to offer autonomous passenger rides
Tesla does have a Transportation Charter Party permit, which allows a human driver to drive a traditional vehicle for charter services with the public. However, this is different from an autonomous vehicle permit for passenger transportation. The CPUC has not approved Tesla to provide autonomous passenger service to customers, paid or unpaid, with or without a driver.
Ongoing lawsuits
Tesla is also facing legal battles
The DMV is also trying to stop Tesla from selling vehicles in California over false claims about its cars' self-driving capabilities. The company is also facing a trial over deaths linked to its less-capable driver assistance system, Autopilot. Tesla has yet to prove that its Full Self-Driving software can power a robotaxi network.
Service expansion
Invite-only robotaxi service in Austin
Tesla's invite-only robotaxi service has been running in Austin since June 22. However, it is mostly restricted to downtown Austin and main corridors with a safety operator in the front passenger seat. The company plans to expand its operations to Florida and Arizona as well. Recently, Tesla has also started the necessary certification process for testing and operating with/without a driver in Arizona.