Tesla has launched its robotaxi service in California’s San Francisco Bay Area, but unlike its Austin launch, the service currently operates with safety monitors in the driver’s seat due to stricter local regulations.
In a post on X, CEO Elon Musk said: “You can now ride-hail a Tesla in the SF Bay Area, in addition to Austin.”
Musk did not specify whether the vehicles were operating autonomously. However, a video posted by X user Teslaconomics — one of the first riders to use the new service — shows a Tesla Model Y arriving without markings to indicate its autonomous status.
“There’s probably a driver in the front,” the user said while approaching the Model Y. When entering the vehicle, the Tesla employee behind the wheel said he was “just the safety monitor.”
Throughout the ride, the individual seated in the driver’s seat kept his hands near the steering wheel.
The service covers a broad geofenced area stretching from north of the Golden Gate Bridge to south of San Jose, a span of about 75 miles.
This operational setup contrasts sharply with Tesla’s program in Austin, Texas, where safety monitors sit in the passenger seat with access to a dedicated safety button.
The presence of a driver in California reflects regulatory constraints in the state, where the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) last week reiterated that Tesla is not authorized to “test or transport the public” in autonomous vehicles, with or without a driver.
Tesla currently holds a permit from California’s Department of Motor Vehicles to test autonomous vehicles with a safety driver but does not have CPUC approval to deploy them commercially or collect fares.
In comments made during Tesla’s second-quarter earnings call last week, Musk said the company aims to make its robotaxi service available to half of the US population by the year end.
Critics on social media pointed out the limitations of the service. “Robotaxis don’t have people in the driver’s seat… You have an Uber with a Tesla,” read one of the top comments under the video.
While Tesla markets its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system as capable of operating vehicles with minimal human input, the company has yet to obtain the necessary regulatory clearances to operate fully driverless commercial services outside of Texas.
Even in Austin, Tesla’s robotaxis still include an in-vehicle monitor to comply with safety regulations.
Tesla introduced this week a dynamic pricing system for its robotaxi service in Austin, replacing the fixed fare structure it rolled out last month.
The service, which launched in June to select customers at a flat rate of $4.20, was later increased to $6.90. Starting from Wednesday, pricing now varies by distance.
