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Tesla plans San Francisco robotaxi rollout within two months, pending approval

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced plans to expand the company’s robotaxi service to the San Francisco Bay Area within the next one to two months, contingent on regulatory approval. The update follows a limited launch of the service in Austin, Texas, where the company began public tests with about a dozen vehicles in June.

The pilot program in Austin includes a front-seat safety monitor, restricted passenger access, and a constrained service area. Musk added on X (formerly Twitter) that the service will expand to a larger area in Austin this weekend, though details remain sparse.

When asked by a Tesla fan group about a Bay Area launch, Musk replied: “Waiting on regulatory approvals, but probably in a month or two.”

Tesla’s push into autonomous ride-hailing is central to its long-term strategy. With electric vehicle sales declining amid heightened competition and political backlash surrounding Musk’s public image, much of Tesla’s lofty market valuation hinges on the successful commercialization of robotaxis and AI-powered humanoid robots.

However, rolling out autonomous services has proven challenging industry-wide. Regulatory scrutiny, safety concerns, and technical barriers have slowed progress. For example, GM’s Cruise has had to halt its operations following safety investigations. To date, Alphabet’s Waymo is the only firm with a fully operational and fee-charging driverless taxi service, operating in cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, Phoenix, and Atlanta.

Tesla, which faced few regulatory obstacles in Texas, will encounter a stricter environment in California. The state requires companies to obtain multiple approvals from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) before launching paid autonomous services.

Tesla received its first CPUC permit in March but must secure further approvals from both the CPUC and DMV before deploying driverless robotaxis commercially. Neither agency has commented yet on the current state of Tesla’s application.

Meanwhile, footage from Tesla’s Austin trial shared by select participants on social media shows early issues such as traffic slowdowns and erratic maneuvers, raising questions about the system’s readiness for wider deployment.

Despite these challenges, Musk has remained confident in Tesla’s plans to scale robotaxi operations rapidly across major U.S. cities.

Zoox Opens Robotaxi Factory, Escalating Rivalry with Tesla and Waymo

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Amazon-owned Zoox has officially launched its first robotaxi production facility, signaling a major step toward commercializing its autonomous vehicle service and intensifying competition with industry leaders Tesla and Waymo.

Located in Hayward, California, the new 220,000-square-foot factory is capable of assembling over 10,000 robotaxis per year at full capacity. While Zoox has not disclosed its initial production figures, the move reflects its plans to scale significantly as it prepares for public ride launches.

The company is currently testing its fully autonomous, purpose-built robotaxis — uniquely designed vehicles with no steering wheels or pedals — in multiple U.S. cities. It expects to begin commercial operations in Las Vegas later this year, followed by expansion in San Francisco, where it is already operating in the SoMa (South of Market) neighborhood.

“Anticipated public demand and upcoming market entries justify this scale-up in production,” Zoox stated, hinting at more widespread deployments in the coming years.

Zoox’s entry comes at a pivotal moment in the robotaxi race:

  • Waymo, owned by Alphabet, already runs a mature driverless taxi service and is expanding across U.S. cities.

  • Tesla, led by Elon Musk, plans to launch its paid robotaxi service on June 22, using Model Y SUVs with self-driving software, and later a Cybercab—a futuristic, manual-control-free, two-seater vehicle.

Unlike Waymo’s retrofitted models and Tesla’s modified SUVs, Zoox’s vehicles are custom-built from the ground up, resembling compact “toaster ovens” and designed specifically for autonomous operations.

Still, all major players in the space face substantial hurdles. Regulatory constraints, safety concerns, and cost overruns have hampered progress toward full autonomy. Moreover, companies including Zoox, Tesla, and Waymo have been subject to federal investigations and recalls after incidents involving their autonomous systems.

Nevertheless, Zoox’s new production hub marks a bold bet that it can move from limited testing to mass deployment, turning science fiction into a scalable reality.

Tesla Aims to Launch Public Robotaxi Rides on June 22, CEO Musk Announces

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Tesla plans to begin offering public rides on its self-driving robotaxis starting June 22, CEO Elon Musk said Tuesday, marking a significant milestone in the company’s autonomous vehicle ambitions. The initial rollout will take place in Austin, Texas, with about 10 to 20 Model Y SUVs operating within a limited area under remote human supervision.

Musk emphasized Tesla’s cautious approach to safety, noting that the date might change as the company remains “super paranoid about safety.” He also revealed that starting June 28, Tesla vehicles will be able to autonomously drive themselves from the factory to customers’ homes.

This robotaxi service is critical for Tesla’s future as electric vehicle sales face increasing competition and controversies surrounding Musk, particularly his political views and associations. The company intends to expand the robotaxi service to other states later in the year, including California, which has more stringent autonomous vehicle regulations.

Tesla has been testing its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software in Austin, with Musk sharing videos showing Model Y vehicles navigating public streets without a human driver. However, details remain scarce about the exact operational zones, the level of remote oversight, or how consumers will access the service.