Nevada approves paid robotaxi service for Uber, Tesla and Waymo

The Nevada Transportation Authority has granted Tesla, Waymo and Uber permits to operate as Autonomous Vehicle Network Companies, allowing all three to charge for driverless rides in Clark County, including Las Vegas.

Following an August 20th meeting, Tesla investor Sawyer Merritt reported that regulators cleared Tesla to deploy as many as 5,000 robotaxis over the next 12 months. The permit reportedly covers the entire state, as long as Tesla notifies the agency when it expands service into new areas.

During a question-and-answer session at the meeting, Tesla said it is working with law enforcement to produce a five-minute instructional video guiding first responders through emergencies involving its autonomous vehicles. The company also clarified that 5,000 is simply the upper limit it is permitted to deploy, and that it would be satisfied reaching around 2,500 robotaxis on Nevada roads by 2027.

Waymo, for its part, received approval to deploy up to 1,000 robotaxis in the region over the coming year. The company had already been allowed to run fully driverless rides in Las Vegas since July, but the new permit lets it start charging passengers.

Uber also confirmed its own application for paid robotaxi service in Nevada was approved, according to Sarfraz Maredia, the company's global head of Autonomous Mobility & Delivery. Uber will be able to field 1,000 robotaxis in Clark County, operating them through partnerships with Amazon-owned Zoox and Hyundai-owned Motional.