[AutonomousVehicles] tesla robotaxis are coming to arizona

[Cornelius Butler]

Tesla Robotaxis are coming to Arizona. They have obtained a permit to
operate in the state.

Article Link:
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/18/tesla-obtains-permit-to-operate-ride-hail-service-in-arizona.html

Article Text:
Tesla obtains permit to operate ride-hail service in Arizona

Lora Kolodny
@in/lorakolodny/

A Tesla Inc. robotaxi on Oltorf Street in Austin, Texas, on June 22, 2025.

Tim Goessman | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Tesla has obtained a permit to operate a ride-hailing service in Arizona,
the state's department of transportation said.

The electric vehicle company applied for a "transportation network company"
permit on Nov. 13, and was approved on Monday, ADOT said in an emailed
statement. Additional permits will be required before Tesla can operate a
robotaxi service in Arizona.

In July, Tesla applied to conduct autonomous vehicle testing and operations
in Phoenix, with and without human safety drivers on board. A month
earlier, Tesla started a robotaxi pilot in Austin, Texas, with safety
valets and remote operators. Tesla also operates a more traditional car
service in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Tesla didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Tesla plans to take human safety drivers out of its cars in Austin before
the end of this year. The company is aiming to operate a commercial
robotaxi service in Phoenix and several other U.S. cities before the end of
2026.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website,
Tesla cars equipped with automated driving systems were involved in seven
reported collisions following the launch of the company's pilot in Texas.

Competitors including Alphabet's Waymo in the U.S. and Baidu's Apollo Go in
China are way ahead in the nascent robotaxi ride-hailing market. In the
Phoenix area, Waymo operates a sizable commercial business, with at least
400 autonomous vehicles, the company previously told CNBC. In May, Waymo
said it had surpassed 10 million driverless trips served to riders across
the U.S.

Baidu said in an earnings update on Tuesday that its Apollo Go service
"provided 3.1 million fully driverless operational rides in the third
quarter of 2025," representing year-over-year growth of 212%.

Musk has been promising that Tesla will "solve" autonomy for years without
reaching its goals. The world's richest person has continued with the lofty
pronouncements.

At the company's 2025 shareholder meeting earlier this month, Musk said the
"killer app" for self-driving technology is when people can "text and
drive," or "sleep and drive."

"Before we allow the car to be driven without paying attention, we need to
make sure it's very safe," Musk said. "We're on the cusp of that. I know
I've said that a few times. We really are at this point."

WATCH: Baidu to ramp up global exports as robotaxi service grows in China
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