Tesla has made another crucial step on the path to its vision of a driverless taxi-hailing future. The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has given the company permission to start testing its autonomous vehicles, commonly known as robotaxis, on the state roads. The step is a landmark in the development of the Tesla company because Nevada is among the recent states to include its autonomous technology in its testing ground.
The Office of Business Licensing at the DMV stated that Tesla’s application for a Testing Registry certification was accepted this week. In addition to the certification, independent license plates were also provided and mailed to Tesla, giving the company the regulatory permission to test driverless vehicles on Nevada road networks.
Though the testing approval is a significant step, Tesla is not at the stage of proposing robotaxi rides to the population. Before that, the company will have to pass through one last procedure called Self-Certification of Operations.
This certification essentially confirms that Tesla’s autonomous system meets Nevada’s operational safety requirements. Tesla will be able to legally provide its robotaxi service commercially in the state, which will provide rides to the client with no human driver in the backseat of the car.
Of the industry observers, this approval is expected to be quite easy, as Tesla has already been running such a service in Austin, Texas. Tesla has already opened up pilot operations with no one in the driver’s seat, providing a proof of concept for regulators and the public alike.
NEWS: Tesla has officially received approval from the Nevada DMV to start testing autonomous vehicles (robotaxis) on public roads.
Today, I confirmed directly with the Nevada DMV that @Tesla's application to obtain a Testing Registry certification was approved by the DMV Office… pic.twitter.com/hx5JhHBFiD
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) September 11, 2025
Nevada: A Strategic Testing Ground
Nevada has been a vehicle testing ground of autonomous vehicles. One of the earliest states to create explicit policies around self-driving technology, the state was favored by companies operating in self-driving, including Tesla, Waymo, and Cruise. Its broad roads, urban and desert landscapes, diversity, and regulatory receptiveness make it the best location to test autonomous trials.
In the case of Tesla, Nevada is given a bonus. The Gigafactory is located in Reno, so the state becomes an embodiment, as well as a convenient place to introduce robotaxi testing. Tesla might provide a framework that would allow for wider adoption in the United States in case it manages to launch commercial operations in Nevada.
Implications for the Ride-Hailing Industry
The introduction of Tesla’s robotaxi service might have far-reaching consequences on the transport industry. By removing human drivers, Tesla will provide rides at an infinitely lower price than more traditional ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft. The reduction in prices, along with the freshness of autonomous technology, might generate a great demand.
Simultaneously, the strategy of Tesla can be contrasted with the strategy of its competitors in a single aspect: instead of creating a special fleet of robotaxis, Tesla plans to enable the owners of its autonomous-capable automobiles to become a part of the ride-hailing vehicles when they are not in use. This decentralized system would be able to increase the size of the fleet by a significant margin without the expense of buying and maintaining vehicles directly.
