As the tech CEO promises a Robotaxi launch in California, Tesla employees have been presenting a far more limited plan to key state regulators.

Tesla’s Robotaxi app is now displaying availability for rides across much of the San Francisco Bay Area. The map of a geofenced zone where rides are possible spans the region from just north of the Golden Gate Bridge to San Jose.

Tesla launched a ride-hailing service in the San Francisco Bay Area on Thursday, without indicating whether it would be using self-driving vehicles that power its Austin, Texas operations. California has not permitted Tesla to offer robotaxi service,

However, unlike Austin, where a safety monitor is sitting in the front passenger seat, San Francisco Robotaxis have a safety driver behind the steering wheel. This is due to Tesla not having all the regulatory approvals required by the state of California to offer paid driverless taxi rides.

"You can now ride-hail a Tesla in the SF Bay Area, in addition to Austin," wrote Tesla CEO Elon Musk in a post on X in the early hours of Thursday.