Tesla's robotaxi expands to new city this weekend

Tesla's robotaxi service continues to make progress in its implementation. Still in a testing phase, it will now arrive in San Francisco—less than two months after its debut in Austin, Texas.

According to Business Insider, cited by Reuters, the service will operate across much of the Bay Area, covering Marin County, much of the East Bay, and even San Jose.

This Friday, some Tesla owners will receive invitations to use the service. Despite being autonomous cars, they will have a safety driver on board who can operate the steering wheel and brakes.

The San Francisco expansion is in line with what Tesla CEO Elon Musk said at an investor conference this week.

The businessman had revealed that the process was underway to obtain permission to operate in several American states - including California, where San Francisco is located, but also Arizona, Florida and Nevada.

In California, Tesla has not yet applied for the necessary permits to operate fully autonomous vehicles in that state. However, it is authorized to test with a driver behind the wheel—as will happen initially in San Francisco.

Tesla's robotaxi service is powered by the Model Y - an SUV that can reach 622 km of range (WLTP cycle), recovering charge for 267 km with a quarter of an hour of charging.

Robotaxis are an essential part of Tesla's strategy

Tesla may have started out as an automobile manufacturer, but robotaxis exemplify its ambitions in robotics and automation software—as does the humanoid robot Optimus.

However, the start of testing in Austin was not without its problems, prompting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to request information.

The incidents reportedly included speeding, driving in the wrong lane or even the wrong way, and sudden stops. However, they did not involve other road users.

Read Also: Tesla's Robotaxi Expands in Austin and 'Targets' San Francisco