What Tesla can and cannot do in California with its new passenger transport permit
Tesla obtained a permit on Tuesday of California Public Utilities Commission to operate a transport service in the state, the start of a long regulatory road which could possibly lead the company to obtain the OK to operate a Robotaxi service.
The license, which Tesla asked in November 2024Do not cover tests or the deployment of autonomous vehicles. And it is technically different from the permits that Lyft and Uber have.
Tesla obtained a Transport charter permit or TCP. A TCP license means that the company – In this case, Tesla – has vehicles and uses employees as drivers, according to the CPUC, which regulates driving services focused on human and without driver in the state. A TCP is intended for companies wishing to offer pre-animated transport services such as round-trip visits, according to the Commission.
Uber and Lyft Hold Transportation Network Company (TNC) allow. TNCs use an online application as a smartphone application to connect drivers using their personal vehicles with paid passengers.
Tesla plans to initially use its TCP license to transport employees on a pre-arranged basis and in vehicles belonging to the automaker, according to its request. Tesla has agreed to notify the CPUC when he goes to the transport of public members.
Above all, Tesla’s demand does not seek to participate in the commission’s autonomous vehicle passenger programs in a driver or driver -free capacity. This does not mean that Tesla will not apply to these permits. If this is the case, Tesla will also have to obtain permits from the California Department of Motor Vehicles, the agency that regulates tests and the autonomous deployment of vehicles in the state.
Tesla does not have the authority of the DMV to offer driver -free rides for testing or deployment, according to state regulators.
Tesla plans to launch a Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas. Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, promised the Robotaxi service will start in June using its own fleet vehicles which are equipped with the “not supervised” version still to be published with its complete autonomous software.
