Tesla Robotaxi Could Hit San Francisco Streets In 1–2 Months, Musk Says

Tesla Inc.’s (TSLA) newly launched Robotaxi service is preparing to expand into California following its debut in Austin, Texas, last month.

“Waiting on regulatory approvals, but probably in a month or two,” CEO Elon Musk said in a reply on X to a user asking when the service might begin operating in the Bay Area.

Musk also confirmed the rollout of a “larger service area” in Austin this weekend.

With its entry into the Golden State, Tesla’s Robotaxi is stepping into the backyard of Alphabet Inc.-backed Waymo, which operates autonomous ride-hailing services in San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles and partners with Uber in Austin and Atlanta.

Waymo, meanwhile, has begun testing in Philadelphia, using human-driven vehicles to collect mapping data and assess system performance in unfamiliar terrain.

Last month, Musk said Tesla could reach a 3:1 ratio of autonomous vehicles to human supervisors “within a month or two” — a threshold some analysts view as critical to achieving profitability in the Robotaxi business.

Investor sentiment around Tesla’s autonomous push remains divided. Some bulls believe the Robotaxi platform could unlock high-margin revenue and elevate Tesla’s AI-driven valuation, while skeptics point to the regulatory and logistical complexities of scaling.

Robotaxi developments from both Tesla and Waymo have triggered some selloffs in Uber and Lyft shares in recent months. However, the ride-hailing stocks have remained resilient, with Uber up 55% year-to-date (YTD) and Lyft gaining 19%.

Tesla’s stock, by contrast, has struggled — down 24% YTD — as Musk’s growing political distractions and a high-profile rift with President Donald Trump have fueled investor concerns about regulatory risks and reputational fallout.

Sentiment on Stocktwits for TSLA — the most followed ticker with over a million watchers — was last at ‘extremely bearish’ levels.

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