Nevada regulators have approved new permits that will allow Tesla, Waymo, and Uber to launch paid robotaxi services in Clark County, which includes Las Vegas. The Nevada Transportation Authority granted the companies an Autonomous Vehicle Network Company permit following an August 20th meeting. This decision clears the way for thousands of driverless vehicles to begin carrying passengers for a fee across the county over the next year. It also marks a significant expansion of autonomous ride-hailing in a major US tourism and entertainment market.
Tesla was authorized to deploy up to 5,000 robotaxis within the next 12 months, according to a report from Tesla investor Sawyer Merritt. The company's permit extends to the entire state, but it must notify the agency if it wishes to expand beyond Clark County. During the approval session, Tesla told regulators it is working with law enforcement to produce a five-minute video outlining emergency procedures for first responders dealing with its autonomous vehicles. The company also stated that 5,000 is the maximum allowed, noting it would be "extremely happy" to reach 2,500 robotaxis on Nevada roads by 2027.
Waymo also secured permission to deploy 1,000 robotaxis in the region over the coming year. The company had already been granted approval to operate fully autonomous vehicles in Las Vegas without human safety drivers in July, but this new permit authorizes it to charge riders for those trips. This gives Waymo a commercial foothold in a second major US city after its existing operations in other states.
Uber likewise had its application approved, allowing the ride-hailing platform to deploy 1,000 robotaxis in Clark County. Uber will operate these vehicles in partnership with Amazon's Zoox and Hyundai's Motional, according to Sarfraz Maredia, Uber's global head of Autonomous Mobility & Delivery. This marks a shift for Uber, which has historically relied on human drivers, as it moves to integrate third-party autonomous fleets into its network.
The approvals come as several companies race to expand commercial robotaxi operations across US cities, with Nevada joining Arizona and California as key testing and deployment grounds. The permits specifically cover paid rides, meaning passengers in the Las Vegas area can now summon these vehicles through the respective apps. The Nevada Transportation Authority's decision provides a concrete regulatory path for autonomous ride-hailing in a state that has courted the technology with relatively permissive rules.
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