Tesla has now launched its robotaxi service in the Bay Area, California. The expansion follows the successful launch in Austin, Texas, and covers an impressively large operating area - from north of San Francisco through Berkeley, Oakland, and Fremont down to San Jose. This means the geofence covers a north-south distance of about 80 miles.
From Austin to California – with a larger operating area
The robotaxi service initially started in June 2025 in Austin, limited to a small area in the south of the city, but was significantly expanded within a few weeks. Since there were no major safety incidents in over a month of operation in Texas, the launch in California follows.
An update in the robotaxi app announced the new location on Wednesday evening simply with the words: „Rides are now available in the Bay Area.“ A new map in the app shows the extended operating area. For comparison: The distance covered in California is six times larger than in Austin.
Difference to Austin: Safety drivers at the wheel
While in Austin there is no driver behind the wheel (only a safety attendant in the passenger seat), in the Bay Area, safety drivers must initially take the driver's seat. Therefore, Tesla currently refers to the service in California as "ride-hailing" rather than a fully driverless robotaxi.
The reason: Tesla does not yet have a permit from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to operate without safety drivers. According to the CPUC, Tesla has not yet applied for this permit. With the launch of the service, the application could now follow, but how long the approval process will take remains open.
Competition and next steps
Immediate comparisons were drawn to Waymo, which is also active in San Francisco and parts of Silicon Valley. Waymo and Tesla cover partially similar but not directly connected areas.
Whether and when Tesla will also switch to fully driverless vehicles in California now depends on regulatory processes. What is clear is that with the Bay Area, Tesla is tapping into one of the most important markets for autonomous mobility in the USA – and is consistently expanding its robotaxi plans.
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