Tech Desk 
Jul 27, 2025
In spite of major regulatory obstacles, Tesla plans to introduce a limited version of its robotaxi service in San Francisco this weekend.
It has been reported that the company will invite a select group of Tesla owners to test the service, which will be operated by a human safety driver.
In California, autonomous cars are governed by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
Although Tesla has permission to test autonomous cars with a human safety operator, it does not have permission to test or use driverless vehicles.
“Tesla has not been authorised to provide autonomous passenger service to consumers, whether paid or unpaid, with or without a driver,” said CPUC spokesperson Terrie Prosper.
The robotaxi service will run in a wide geofenced area that includes parts of the East Bay and South Bay, Marin County, and San Francisco.
Additionally, a licensed driver will be in the driver's seat of every car, ready to take over in an emergency. This action is viewed as a calculated move towards Tesla's objective of building a network of completely autonomous ride-hailing services.
Tesla's self-driving capabilities and its Autopilot system claims have led to lawsuits for allegedly making false claims about its Full Self-Driving capabilities; the California DMV is also attempting to prevent Tesla from selling automobiles in the state.
According to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the business is looking for regulatory approval in additional states, such as Florida and Arizona. Actually, in Arizona, Tesla has started the certification process needed to test and run both with and without a driver.
The launch from San Francisco comes after a similar pilot program that started on June 22 in Austin, Texas.
The Austin service has a safety operator in the front passenger seat and is limited to downtown and major thoroughfares.
Even though the service was introduced with about ten cars, it's still unknown how many Model Y SUVs are in use at the moment and how frequently humans are called upon.
