Overview

• ADOT’s Motor Vehicle Division confirmed the approval in an email acknowledging Tesla’s self-certification that was shared publicly by investor Sawyer Merritt.
• The authorization limits operation to trained employees, contractors or other authorized personnel and requires compliance with federal and state safety, licensing and insurance standards.
• Carrying paying passengers or operating without a safety driver will require separate permissions, including a rideshare or TNC permit.
• The approval adds Arizona to Tesla’s expanding trial locations alongside Austin, the San Francisco Bay Area and Nevada, with recent tests also reported in Miami.
• Elon Musk has said Tesla is seeking permissions across several states, has launched a Robotaxi app with early-ride invitations, and expects the safety-driver phase to be temporary.