Tesla, Uber, and Waymo all get the OK to operate thousands of robotaxis in Nevada
Nevada regulators have approved permits for Tesla, Uber, and Waymo to operate up to 8,000 robotaxis in Clark County. While the companies have received authorization, industry representatives suggest that actual deployment will likely be significantly lower due to operational constraints.
Why it matters
This represents a major regulatory milestone for autonomous vehicle commercialization, potentially disrupting local labor markets and transportation infrastructure.
The Nevada Transportation Authority unanimously approved three permits Thursday that will allow Tesla, Uber, and Waymo to operate commercial robotaxi services in Clark County, home to Las Vegas. Together, these permits would deploy up to 8,000 robotaxis across the county over the next 12 months.
Tesla’s permit allows it to deploy up to 5,000 robotaxis, while Waymo is allowed operate up to 1,000 autonomous vehicles over the next year. Uber was also approved for 1,000 robotaxis, which it will operate through partnerships with Hyundai subsidiary Motional and Zoox. Zoox already holds an autonomous vehicle network company permit that allows it to operate 100 robotaxis.
Whether these companies will be able to launch that many robotaxis is an unanswered question. Testimony from Tesla representatives and the other companies suggests the answer is no.
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