Tesla's Robotaxi will offer manned service
Tesla said the service will use a variant of its supervised Full Self-Driving software.
Tesla has sent robotaxi users a new terms of service agreement detailing the planned launch in California's Bay Area, Business Insider reported, citing a screenshot of the notification sent to users.
"If your trip occurs within California, it is being conducted with a safety driver using Full Self-Driving (Supervised) under the authority of the California Public Utilities Commission," the notice said, adding that trips outside of California are "conducted autonomously," confirming a Reuters report.
Reuters previously reported that Tesla, unlike Alphabet's Waymo unit, cannot operate autonomous vehicles in the Bay Area because the electric vehicle maker lacks the necessary permits and has not filed an application with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
Tesla said the service will use a variant of its supervised Full Self-Driving software.
Tesla notified the CPUC on Thursday that it plans to offer ride-hailing services to “friends and family of employees” and “select members of the public” under a permit the company owns that allows a human driver to carry passengers for “for-hire service” in a “conventional vehicle.”
Tesla recently held a meeting with the agency but has not applied for the additional permits needed to collect fees or conduct testing without a safety driver, Reuters reported earlier this week.
Under California's autonomous driving regulations, Tesla's next step is to obtain a license from the CPUC to carry passengers with a safety driver. However, companies must first conduct a pilot phase during which they cannot charge customers.
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