The Nevada Transportation Authority has unanimously approved permits allowing Tesla, Uber and Waymo to run commercial robotaxi services in Clark County, home to Las Vegas, paving the way for up to 8,000 driverless vehicles on the county's roads within a year. The decision marks one of the largest single approvals of autonomous ride-hailing capacity in the US and sets up Las Vegas as a key testing ground for competing self-driving strategies, while raising fresh concerns about job losses among human taxi and gig drivers.

Under the approvals, Tesla can deploy up to 5,000 robotaxis, while Waymo and Uber were each cleared for 1,000, with Uber operating its fleet through partners Motional and Zoox. However, Tesla's own Cybercab chief engineer, Eric Early, told the hearing that reaching even half that figure within a year is unlikely, suggesting 2,500 vehicles is a more realistic target. Local taxi operators, represented by the Livery Operators Association, opposed the permits, warning of oversaturation and road congestion in the "Golden Triangle" area near the airport and the Strip, while Uber pushed for a hybrid model blending human drivers with autonomous vehicles.