Tesla has received approval to begin testing its autonomous robotaxi vehicles in the state of Arizona, with a safety monitor on board. The Arizona Department of Transportation confirmed the approval in an email to Reuters on Friday.
Tesla had applied in June for a permit to start trials for an autonomous ride-sharing service. The Arizona Department of Transportation’s email stated that the company now plans to test the robotaxis in the Phoenix Metro area, using safety drivers.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has previously said that the company intends to launch an autonomous ride-hailing service for about half of the U.S. population by the end of this year. In June, Tesla rolled out a small-scale test of its robotaxi service in a limited area of Austin, Texas. That trial involved about a dozen vehicles, a select group of passengers, and several restrictions, including having a safety monitor in the front passenger seat.
