Nevada Caps Tesla's Robotaxi Fleet at 10 in Las Vegas
Tesla's application for a permit to run driverless vehicles in Las Vegas was approved by the Nevada Transportation Authority, but with a cap of 10 vehicles, far short of the 5,000 requested.
Tesla's Robotaxi service in Las Vegas has been capped at 10 vehicles by the Nevada Transportation Authority. The permit, granted last month, restricts the fleet to a specific stretch of the Strip, prohibits pickups at Harry Reid International Airport, and limits the vehicles to 45 mph.
The Authority's decision was made without explanation for why the 5,000-vehicle request was reduced to 10. Tesla's application, filed in June, sought an Autonomous Vehicle Network Company permit for all of Clark County and requested authority for up to 5,000 vehicles during the first 12 months.
## Conditions for Tesla's Robotaxi Service
The permit comes with several conditions. Every vehicle must be labeled "robotaxi," passengers must be informed that they are riding in a driverless vehicle, and the trips require "appropriate human supervision." Growing the fleet past 10 vehicles requires a new approval from the Authority.
## Comparison to Other Autonomous Operators
Amazon's Zoox, which holds AVNC Permit 001 in Nevada, is authorized for a fleet of up to 100 vehicles. Zoox is currently operating around 50 vehicles on the Strip and started charging for rides this month. Waymo and Uber's Aviari Services subsidiary have also filed applications, but their status is pending.
| Operator | Authorized Vehicles | | --- | --- | | Tesla | 10 | | Zoox | 100 | | Waymo | Pending | | Uber's Aviari Services | Pending |
## Tesla's Capacity to Deploy Self-Driving Vehicles
Tesla's request for 5,000 permits has been seen as unrealistic by some. The company's current capacity to deploy self-driving vehicles is limited by software, not hardware. Tesla is already building Cybercabs faster than it can deploy them, and the program is not expected to see material revenue until at least 2027.
## Electrek's Take
Tesla's request for 5,000 permits has been seen as a sign of the company's overconfidence in its autonomous driving capability. The company's current capacity to deploy self-driving vehicles is limited, and it is unlikely to operate robotaxis at scale in the near future.
