Tesla plans robotaxi expansion to California and Arizona

Tesla is aiming to bring its driverless taxis to California and Arizona as the carmaker plots an expansion on the heels of last month’s limited roll-out in Austin.

Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk predicted on his social media service X that Tesla robotaxis could launch in the San Francisco Bay area “probably in a month or two,” pending regulatory approvals. The carmaker plans to broaden its service area in Austin this weekend, he said.

Tesla has also contacted the Arizona Department of Transportation to begin the certification process for autonomous vehicle ride-sharing, the state agency told Bloomberg in an emailed statement. Tesla has expressed interest in operating within the Phoenix metropolitan area, the transportation department said. A decision on the company’s applications – including for operations with and without a driver – is expected by the end of this month.

The carmaker did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Arizona discussions, which have not been previously reported.

Musk is reorienting Tesla around futuristic pursuits like driverless vehicles, artificial intelligence and humanoid robots as its traditional car business struggles. The CEO has a long track record of offering timelines related to autonomous-driving ambitions that the company fails to meet.

In another X post on Thursday, Musk said that Grok, the chatbot developed by his start-up xAI, will be coming to Tesla vehicles “next week at the latest”.