Tesla is taking early steps to bring its Robotaxis to New York City
Published on Aug 19, 2025 at 10:15 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Aug 19, 2025 at 10:15 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Claire Reid
It looks as though Tesla is taking its first steps towards bringing its Robotaxis to New York City.
Tesla is on the hunt for a ‘Vehicle Operator, Autopilot’ based in Flushing, New York, according to a new advert posted on the company’s website.
The listing says the ideal candidate will be a ‘highly motivated self-starter’ who will join the Tesla vehicle data collection team
The advert has been posted just weeks after autonomous taxi rival Waymo announced plans to expand into New York.
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Tesla is gearing up to bring Robotaxis to New York City
Tesla launched its eagerly-awaited Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, back in June.
Since launching, its Robotaxi service area has doubled to cover around 80 square miles, just a little under the 90-or-so square miles Waymo has expanded its service to in the same city.
While things look to be going well in Austin, it’s been less straightforward when it came to rolling out the service in San Francisco.
Tesla launched the ride-hailing service with a human driver behind the wheel, as it was reported that officials in California said the company was not allowed to ‘test or transport the public’ with or without a driver in a self-driving vehicle.
Nonetheless, Tesla appears to be pressing on with plans to introduce the autonomous taxi service in more US cities.
A new listing on the carmaker’s website appears to confirm that the company has its sights set on bringing its Robotaxis to New York City, where it is looking for a Prototype Vehicle Operator.
To be considered for the role, you’ll need ‘excellent driving skills’, ‘strong attention to detail’, and a ‘high level of flexibility’.
The role involves ‘driving an engineering vehicle for extended periods, conducting dynamic audio and camera data collection for testing and training purposes’.
A spokesperson for New York’s Transportation Department told the Wall Street Journal that, as yet, Tesla has applied to test its autonomous vehicles in the city.
Tesla is also looking to hire similar roles in other states
Meanwhile, a spokesperson from the California Department of Motor Vehicles told the outlet that Tesla hadn’t yet applied to test or operate its Robotaxis in the State.
Nonetheless, alongside the job listing for New York, the company is also hiring for similar roles in California, Texas, and Florida as it seemingly eyes a nationwide expansion.
Boss Elon Musk has previously said the service will have a rapid rollout.
“I think we’ll probably have autonomous ride-hailing in probably half of the population of the US by the end of the year,” he told investors last month.
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
