California regulator confirms Tesla is ‘not operating an autonomous vehicle service’
California’s top transportation regulator has made it explicit: Tesla is not operating an autonomous vehicle service in the state. The company holds the same permit as a limousine company.
Pat Tsen, the deputy executive director for consumer policy, transportation, and enforcement at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), confirmed that Tesla’s ride-hailing operation is classified as a standard chauffeur service — not a “robotaxi” — and is subject to none of the safety reporting and data transparency requirements imposed on actual autonomous vehicle operators like Waymo and Zoox.