ARIZONA: Tesla has received regulatory approval to begin testing autonomous robotaxi vehicles with safety monitors in Arizona.
The state transportation department confirmed the approval in an email to Reuters on Friday following Tesla’s application in June for a permit to trial an autonomous vehicle ride-sharing service.
Tesla now plans to test its robotaxis in the Phoenix Metro area using safety drivers during the trials.
The company did not respond to requests for comment regarding the specific start date or duration of the testing phase.
Chief Executive Elon Musk previously stated that Tesla aims to launch an autonomous ride-hailing service to approximately half of the United States population by year’s end.
Tesla conducted a small-scale test of its robotaxi service in a limited area of Austin, Texas, in June using about a dozen vehicles with select passengers and multiple restrictions including a safety monitor in the front passenger seat. – Reuters
