State regulators in Nevada have granted regulatory approval for commercial driverless fleets to begin charging passengers across Clark County, opening the Las Vegas market to three major autonomous vehicle operators.<\/p>\n
The Nevada Transportation Authority issued Autonomous Vehicle Network Company permits to Tesla<\/a>, Alphabet subsidiary Waymo<\/a>, and Uber following an agency meeting on August 20. The permits grant each company legal authority to operate paid robotaxi services in the state. Under the regulatory terms, Tesla must submit formal notifications to state authorities prior to expanding its operating territory beyond initial zones.<\/p>\n Tesla secured authorization to deploy as many as 5,000 autonomous vehicles statewide over the coming 12 months.<\/p>\n During regulatory proceedings, Tesla representatives indicated the company is developing a five-minute instructional protocol with local law enforcement to assist first responders during emergency incidents. Representatives also stated that while the permit allows 5,000 vehicles, deploying 2,500 robotaxis across Nevada by 2027 represents the company’s realistic target.<\/p>\n Waymo received clearance to place up to 1,000 commercial robotaxis on public roads in the Las Vegas metropolitan area over the next year. The Alphabet unit had previously secured state permission in July to conduct driverless testing without safety drivers, with the latest permit enabling paid passenger fares.<\/p>\n