Tesla Expands Robotaxi Testing to New York City

Tesla is expanding its autonomous vehicle testing to New York City by hiring a full-time driver to collect data for its Autopilot system, signaling a potential move toward launching robotaxi services in the city. The job, based in Queens, involves driving prototype vehicles for extended periods and requires familiarity with autonomous driving systems, with pay exceeding $30 an hour. This move comes shortly after Waymo, Tesla's competitor, applied for permits to test self-driving cars in New York, highlighting an intensifying race for robotaxi dominance in a market constrained by strict safety regulations that require a safety operator to be present. Tesla has already launched limited robotaxi services in Austin and San Francisco and plans further expansion into other states, with CEO Elon Musk expressing ambitions to cover half the U.S. population by year-end, though regulatory approval remains a significant hurdle. The efforts in New York represent a cautious but strategic step toward growth in autonomous ride-hailing amid rising competition and regulatory challenges, with investor attention focused on how rapidly Tesla's robotaxi network can scale. Both companies are navigating New York's legal environment where fully driverless operations are not yet permitted, necessitating human oversight during testing phases.