Tesla's robotaxi gets green light for ride-hailing in Texas
A new Texas state law requires companies to get a permit to operate driverless vehicles.
Robotaxi was granted a permit this week to operate a ride-hailing service.
Tesla Robotaxi was granted a permit to run a ride-hailing service with autonomous vehicles in Texas as part of a new state law that seeks to regulate driverless vehicle services.
The Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation's (TDLR) website showed a new listing for a license granted to "Tesla Robotaxi LLC." Tela Mange, a spokesperson for the division, confirmed to Business Insider that the license was issued on Wednesday. It grants Tesla the ability to operate a ridehailing service with autonomous vehicles across the state and expires in a year, the spokesperson said.
However, the permit doesn't mean that Tesla's robotaxi is officially classified as an autonomous vehicle.
The TDLR spokesperson told BI that the permit only allows a company to use automated motor vehicles for a commercial ride-hailing service. Tesla Robotaxi will have to seek authorization from the state Department of Motor Vehicles to be classified as an autonomous vehicle, Mange wrote.
Spokespeople for Tesla and the Texas DMV did not respond to a request for comment sent outside of business hours.
The requirement to seek authorization from the DMV is part of a new state bill, SB 2807, which will become effective on September 1. The bill establishes a statewide legal framework for autonomous vehicle commercial services.
The bill specifies how companies need to get authorization from the DMV to operate driverless AVs. It also includes requirements for the driverless vehicle operator to be compliant with federal motor vehicle safety standards, and for the vehicles to be equipped with a data recording device, among other stipulations. The Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation only regulates rules around ride-hailing services, Mange said.
In June, just before Tesla's robotaxi launch, seven Democratic state lawmakers signed a letter urging Tesla to delay the launch until the state bill goes into effect or provide a detailed response that shows how the company is proactively complying with the new law.
Tesla moved forward with the launch since the state law had yet to go into effect.
The bill comes as the Lone Star State becomes ground zero for the robotaxi wars. Technology companies, including Alphabet's Waymo, have flocked to the Lone Star state because its laws regarding driverless vehicle operations are less stringent than those in states like California.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, Tesla has deployed a ride-hailing service with a human safety monitor behind the wheel as it awaits regulatory approval for its robotaxis.
Read the original article on Business Insider
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Tesla To Open Austin Robotaxi Service In September
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) is set to open its Austin robotaxi service to the public in September, CEO Elon Musk announced on social media. The move follows an invite-only phase that began in June with a small fleet of driverless cars and a limited user base. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 5 Warning Signs with RIVN. The company has locked in all the necessary permits to operate statewide in Texas, with approval from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. It will run as a licensed Transportation Network Company through August 2026. Guggenheim's Ronald Jewsikow called the timing earlier than expected and a sign Tesla is confident in both the tech and the feedback from early riders. He said the expanded full self-driving model could bolster the bull case for Tesla's fleet eventually transitioning into robotaxis. While safety drivers will still be in place and no date has been given for their removal, he doesn't see that dampening investor enthusiasm. Tesla shares have climbed 7.5% in the past six weeks but remain more than 30% below their 52-week high. The EV maker's market cap sits at $1.09T, ranking it the 10th largest U.S. company. This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Tesla Robotaxi passenger captures video of self-driving vehicle's dangerous mistake: 'A perfectly garbage performance'
A recent YouTube video documenting a ride in a Tesla Robotaxi proves these autonomous vehicles aren't quite road-ready. After the vehicle made a dangerous move in the middle of an intersection, FuelArc described the ride as "a perfectly garbage performance." What's happening? Influencers for the YouTube channel Munro Live (@MunroLive) were invited to test a Tesla Robotaxi in Austin, Texas, where Tesla first launched the Robotaxi service. Barely a minute into the test ride, the vehicle chose to make a left turn from a non-turning lane. A safety operator — a human who sits in the vehicle to monitor Robotaxi trips — used a kill switch to override autonomous driving mode. This caused the vehicle to stop in the middle of the intersection, nearly blocking traffic from all sides, until the safety operator felt it was safe to continue the ride. One video commenter pointed out: "It wasn't due to traffic. The car didn't understand that intersection at all." Why is this concerning? While the incident didn't cause an accident, it could have. And it highlights why many people are hesitant to share the road with self-driving vehicles, let alone buy one even with supervised autonomous features for themselves. Tesla is consistently working toward improving the convenience, efficiency, and eco-friendliness of EVs. But incidents like this could shake consumer confidence in the brand and other EVs. Safety concerns give buyers pause, which could slow EV adoption at a time when broader climate goals depend on it. Tesla has faced similar setbacks in the past, including a widespread recall to fix problems with its supervised Full Self-Driving software. Combined with general uneasiness about the safety of the Robotaxi service, these issues could lead consumers to stick to what they know: planet-polluting gas-powered cars. What's being done to improve autonomous driving for EVs? The good news is that Tesla's initial Austin launch was designed for this type of testing. Safety operators sit in on rides to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible, and they, along with test riders, can report any feedback or concerns to Tesla. With enough testing and reconfiguring of autonomous driving systems, it's possible that these vehicles could become the (safer) future. Tesla trains its software on once-in-a-lifetime situations to help it learn exactly what to do in virtually any situation. This real-world data helps the system evolve over time, ideally reducing errors like the one in Austin. For now, it's important to remember that EVs and auto-driving don't go hand in hand. You can still make your next car an EV if you aren't yet confident in autonomous systems. Self-driving features (which require active supervision) are optional in Tesla vehicles, as well as in EVs from other brands, like Ford and Mercedes-Benz. Many EVs don't offer the tech at all, so you can still reduce your carbon footprint without committing to Autopilot. Would you trust a self-driving car on a busy city street? Definitely No way Depends on the brand Depends on the situation Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Struggling city-owned Missouri market — akin to Zohran Mamdani's NYC grocery store proposal — shuts its doors
A publicly funded grocery store in Missouri abruptly closed Tuesday morning — leaving a note on the entrance stating it can no longer serve residents due to circumstances 'beyond our control.' Sun Fresh Market in Kansas City — which opened in 2018 as part of a multi-million-dollar revitalization plan — mysteriously shuttered just weeks after viral footage exposed the struggling store's bare shelves, foul odor and frustrated clientele. The alarming footage, taken by local outlet KSHB 41, sparked renewed skepticism of Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani's signature proposal to bring city-owned markets to the Big Apple if he's elected mayor. 4 City-owned Sun Fresh Market in Kansas City, Missouri, abruptly shuttered Tuesday. KSHB 'Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control, we are no longer, at this time, able to serve the residents of this community,' a sign posted outside the store read, KSHB reported. 'It has always been our dream and passion to provide quality products and services in a safe, family environment. At this time, unfortunately, we are unable to do that.' The store — located in a city-owned building — was opened as part of a $15 million revitalization project aimed at rejuvenating the community. 4 Viral footage exposed the store's bare shelves and foul odor last month. KCTV5 However, the area quickly became plagued by crime and safety issues, according to the report. Despite receiving millions in taxpayer funding since opening and thousands more for security upgrades, the store still struggled to stock the shelves with produce and other essential goods. The store's nonprofit owner told the outlet in a statement that its Midtown location can longer serve residents as of Tuesday, without providing an explanation. 4 NYC Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has proposed opening city-owned grocery stores. Zohran Mamdani / TikTok The sudden shutdown comes a few months after Mamdani secured the New York City Democratic mayoral nomination with a campaign centered on affordability, including a plan to establish a $65 million network of government-owned grocery stores, with one located in each of the five boroughs. The Queens assemblyman has repeatedly claimed that city funds would be redirected from corporate supermarkets to city-owned groceries that would lower prices. However, Mamdani's plan remains vague on key details, including whether the city itself will operate the stores or delegate management to private or nonprofit partners, as he uses the term 'city-owned' and 'city-run' interchangeably to describe his ambitious campaign proposal. 4 The Queens assemblyman has repeatedly claimed the ambitious plan will help residents. Matthew McDermott Experts and critics predict Mamdani's far-fetched plan will ultimately fail over supply chain issues, but he has continued to pursue it as a potential practical experiment. 'No matter how you think about the idea, I do think there should be room for reasonable policy experimentation in our cities and in our country, where we actually test out our idea,' he said on 'The Bulwark' podcast last month. 'And if they work, they work. And if they don't, c'est la vie, then the idea was wrong.
