Tesla has been granted a transportation charter permit by the California Public Utilities Commission, allowing it to operate a transportation service in the state. This permit, applied for in November 2024, enables Tesla to transport employees in its own vehicles but does not include autonomous vehicle deployment. Unlike Uber and Lyft, Tesla's permit requires it to use employees as drivers rather than connecting independent drivers with passengers. The company plans to notify regulators when it transitions to public transport and is also eyeing a robotaxi service launch in Austin, Texas.