Arizona regulators have granted Tesla a passenger transportation license , allowing the automaker to begin operating a robotaxi service in the state .
A spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Transportation told TechCrunch that Tesla applied for a Transportation Network Company (TNC) license on November 13. Tesla met the requirements to operate as a TNC and has been licensed since November 17.
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The permit is the final regulatory step for the launch of a robotaxi service in Arizona, a state that has emerged as a testing and development center for autonomous vehicle technology. Waymo, the self-driving company owned by Alphabet and the dominant robotaxi provider in the U.S., has been operating a service in the Phoenix area since 2018, covering a 315-square-mile area in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area.
Under Arizona law, companies must apply and go through a self-certification process to test autonomous or driverless vehicles. However, that doesn’t allow the company to operate a robotaxi service that charges for rides. Any company that wants to operate a passenger transportation service, whether with a human or robotic driver, must apply for a Transportation Network Company license.
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Arizona: Tesla applied for robotaxi license and received approval
In June, Tesla contacted the Arizona Department of Transportation about autonomous vehicle to begin the certification process. The company expressed interest in operating within the Phoenix metropolitan area, a spokesperson told TechCrunch at the time.
Tesla later applied for both driverless and self-driving testing/operation . Elon Musk 's company went through Arizona's self-certification process in September to test autonomous vehicles.
Arizona is one of many states that Elon Musk has targeted for the company's robotaxi service.
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In June, Tesla launched a limited robotaxi service in South Austin. While the service has been developed, the company still has a human safety operator sitting in the passenger seat.
Tesla has also launched a pseudo-ride-sharing service in California, although it does not have the proper licenses to operate a commercial service in the state. Instead, the company, which is licensed to operate a charter service, uses employees driving Tesla Model Y vehicles (equipped with the advanced Full Self-Driving Supervised) to pick up passengers.
