Overview

• Elon Musk announced on X that Tesla will expand its invite-only, geofenced robotaxi service to a larger zone in Austin this weekend
• The CEO said a San Francisco Bay Area launch is expected in one to two months, pending state regulatory approvals
• The California Public Utilities Commission granted Tesla its first robotaxi permit in March, but further DMV and CPUC clearances are required
• Early Austin tests have produced traffic disruptions and performance hiccups under Tesla’s camera-only self-driving setup
• Tesla’s rollout challenges Waymo’s established fleet of about 1,500 driverless vehicles and is pivotal to Tesla’s growth amid slowing EV sales