According to CNBC, Elon Musk's Tesla has applied in Phoenix, Arizona, to test and eventually deploy its Robotaxi (driverless taxi) service, aiming to follow the industry leader Waymo.
Arizona Approval Process
A spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Transportation told CNBC on Thursday that Tesla has applied to test and operate autonomous vehicles in Arizona, with testing scenarios including situations with or without human safety drivers. The relevant approval is expected to be decided by the end of July. The spokesperson added that Tesla has "expressed an intention to operate in the Phoenix metropolitan area."
Status of the Austin Pilot Project
Before expanding to Arizona, Tesla launched a Robotaxi pilot project in Austin, Texas, in June. The test fleet in Austin consists of Model Ys equipped with the company's latest autonomous driving system. These vehicles are monitored remotely by employees at an undisclosed operations center, and each car also has a human safety driver accompanying passengers.
The safety driver sits in the front passenger seat, accompanying invited Tesla fans for test rides. If the Robotaxi encounters any issues, the safety driver can intervene at any time.
Competition Gap with Waymo
Waymo, a company under Alphabet, Google's parent company, opened its driverless taxi service to the public in the Phoenix area in 2020. According to information it shared with CNBC on Thursday, it currently operates a fleet of 400 Robotaxis in the area.
Tesla was once seen as a pioneer in autonomous driving, but it is now trying to catch up with Waymo. The two companies have different focuses in their autonomous driving technology: Tesla claims that its choice of using cameras rather than expensive sensors like LiDAR will make its autonomous cars more economically viable.
Challenges in the Austin Pilot
Tesla's initial attempts in Austin also faced problems. A invited passenger, who is also a YouTube "influencer" in the Tesla topic, filmed his Robotaxi brushing against a parked vehicle in front of a restaurant.
Other incidents of Tesla Robotaxi violating traffic rules in Austin were also uploaded to social media, leading to regulatory scrutiny from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a federal vehicle safety agency in the United States.
Future Expansion Plans
Tesla plans to hold its second-quarter earnings conference call on July 23, during which its executives are expected to discuss the preliminary progress of the Robotaxi pilot. Additionally, Musk posted on X on Wednesday that Tesla's Robotaxi service "is likely to expand to the San Francisco Bay Area within one or two months."
Notably, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (CDMV) sued Tesla in 2022, accusing it of false advertising regarding the autonomous capabilities of its vehicles in marketing and advertisements.
