Tesla is taking aim at Waymo in the autonomous car industry, as the company has submitted an application to operate self-driving vehicles with or without safety drivers in Arizona. The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) confirms that Tesla initiated the certification process on June 26.
To comply with federal regulations, autonomous vehicles operating with a safety driver must meet all rules and be issued a traffic ticket if they fail to follow traffic laws. Arizona’s regulations for testing and operating without a trained safety driver are more stringent and require companies to adhere to a law enforcement protocol specifically designed for driverless cars.
Only authorized personnel can operate or monitor the autonomous vehicles, according to state documents. This move comes after Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk announced plans to launch a driverless taxi service in Austin, with remotely monitored taxis set to initially roll out in June.
The pressure on Tesla is on, as sales of its electric vehicles have declined due to increased competition and changes in the market. The company has promised fully autonomous vehicles for “next year,” but the rollout comes after controversy surrounding Musk’s political involvement.
If approved, this would be the first major competitor to Waymo since General Motors abandoned its driverless project, Cruise. Waymo operates over 1,500 driverless cars across four markets and plans to expand to more cities next year.
Source: https://www.azfamily.com/2025/07/11/driverless-duel-competitor-moves-battle-with-waymo-arizona