Tesla starts ride-hailing in San Francisco, no reference to self-driving

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Thursday the company has launched its ride-hailing service in San Francisco’s Bay Area, but did not clarify whether it uses self-driving vehicles.

The rollout highlights the regulatory hurdles Tesla faces as it pivots from cooling EV demand to autonomous driving, with California’s rules potentially delaying Musk’s target of deploying robotaxis across half the US by year-end. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) said last week that Tesla is not allowed to “test or transport the public” with or without a driver in a self-driving vehicle.