Tesla shares rose in early New York trading after Tesla Robotaxi LLC secured a rideshare license in Texas for its robotaxi Model Y fleet under the state’s new autonomous vehicle regulations, which take effect Sept. 1.
Tesla Robotaxi LLC is now registered as a transportation network company with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, joining the ranks of operators such as Lyft.
As previously reported by Reuters, the new law states that operators of robotaxis must obtain a permit from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles before deploying the autonomous vehicle without a human safety supervisor in the front passenger seat. It also gives the state government the authority to revoke the permits if these vehicles are a danger to the public.
Comparison of Tesla’s vs Waymo’s Robotaxi geofence map in Austin, Texas.
Today, @Tesla doubled in size their geofence area. pic.twitter.com/Os7Umha2Kp
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) August 3, 2025
Tesla began operating its robotaxi fleet in Austin, Texas, in June; however, only a small number of Model Y vehicles have been in the operational fleet – and all have been equipped with human supervisors in the passenger seat.
A recent note by Goldman analysts, led by Mark Delaney, outlined that the robotaxi industry has entered the commercialization phase in North America and is set to hyperscale through the end of the decade.
Here’s the latest on the robotaxi industry:
Give the Goldman note a good read (here) to get a better understanding of where the industry is headed.
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