Tesla's First Step Towards Robotaxi: Permission In California Pocketed, Long Road Still Spreads!

Tesla Cybercab. (Doc. Tesla)

JAKARTA - Electric vehicle giant led by Elon Musk, Tesla has finally taken the first step in realizing its robotaxi operating ambition in California. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved Tesla's application for a charter-party carrier permit (TCP), an important license that is a prerequisite for autonomous robotaxi services.

Launching Reuters, March 20, this TCP permit, which is usually associated with private driver services, allows Tesla to own and control the vehicle fleet and transport employees on pre-arranged travel. However, it is important to note that this permit does not allow Tesla to provide ride services with autonomous vehicles to the public.

"Current permits don't allow them to provide rides with autonomous vehicles, and don't allow Tesla to operate ride services to the public," a CPUC spokesperson said.

This move is part of Elon Musk's strategy to shift Tesla's focus to robotaxi, especially amid a slowdown in sales growth of electric vehicles. Musk has promised to launch driverless ride services in California and Texas this year. In fact, last October, Tesla introduced the concept of Cybercab, a robotaxi without a steering wheel or control pedal.

Previously, Tesla applied for a TCP permit in November 2024. However, to operate a fully autonomous robotaxi service that can charge customers, Tesla still requires additional permission from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and CPUC.

Currently, Tesla only has a DMV permit to test autonomous vehicles with safety drivers. The DMV spokesman confirmed that Tesla had not applied for any additional permission from the agency, which was required to resume the CPUC application for driverless taxis.

"Tesla has not applied for additional permission from the DMV, which is required to resume the CPUC app for driverless taxis," a DMV spokesman said.

Although the TCP permit is a step forward for Tesla, the journey to the autonomous robotaxi service is still long and full of challenges. With the various permits that still have to be obtained and the regulations that continue to grow, the future of Tesla's robotaxi in California is still a question mark.