Tesla is gearing up to launch its robotaxi service in San Francisco, and the automaker could start offering rides as soon as this weekend. Business Insider reported on an internal memo that advised staff to be ready for the launch, which had been moved up from its previously planned date.
Tesla told staff the service could start as soon as Friday (today) and said that some owners would receive an invite for the not-free service. The company will use human safety “drivers” in the cars who can take control of steering and braking as necessary, and they will be geofenced into select areas, including Marin, San Francisco, parts of San Jose, and most of the East Bay.
The California Public Utilities Commission gave Tesla a permit to provide ride services for employees, but as of earlier this month, the state agency said it had not received an application for a commercial ride service from the automaker. A California DMV spokesperson told BI that the agency had recently met with Tesla, but said that it had not yet applied for a driverless testing or deployment permit.
Tesla already operates robotaxis in Austin, where it also uses human safety monitors. While the service is currently only open by invitation, it has expanded from ten geofenced vehicles since its launch, utilizing modified Model Y vehicles equipped with additional camera equipment.
[Images: Tesla]
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