Tesla has registered more than 1,000 new vehicles for its 'Robotaxi' fleet in California in just a few months

Core Insights - Tesla has rapidly expanded its California "Robotaxi" program, registering 1,655 vehicles and 798 drivers as of now, a significant increase from 28 vehicles and 128 drivers at the launch in August [1][2] Group 1: Vehicle and Driver Registration - The number of vehicles registered reflects those approved for use, not the actual operational fleet, and the current number of drivers could be higher as Tesla is not required to update the state on new drivers [2] - In comparison, Waymo has 1,955 vehicles registered in California, with over 1,000 operating in its autonomous fleet [2][3] Group 2: Operational Status and Permits - Tesla's "Robotaxi" is not registered as an autonomous vehicle service in California, which has strict regulations, and the company has not applied for a driverless testing permit [4][5] - The current permit allows Tesla to provide transportation services to employees and select members of the public, but a separate permit is needed for transporting passengers using an autonomous vehicle [5] Group 3: User Experience and Challenges - Users have reported long wait times since the public launch of the Robotaxi app in September, with some experiencing waits of up to 40 minutes [6] - During peak hours, there have been instances of ride unavailability due to a lack of inventory, while off-peak wait times average around ten minutes [7] Group 4: Expansion Plans - In Austin, Tesla has begun testing vehicles without drivers, with plans to have around 500 vehicles operational by the end of the year, although the exact number of cars in service is unclear [8]