Tesla doesn't have the permits to run an autonomous vehicle taxi in California, but probably nothing stops a driver-assist based taxi.

The company said its timeline for Robotaxi launch had been moved up and the service could launch as soon as Friday.

Tesla faces a regulatory holdup for its proposed robotaxi service in the San Francisco Bay Area, lacking necessary AV permits.

The CPUC confirmed Friday that Tesla has not applied for the necessary authorization to operate autonomous vehicles for public passenger service-paid or unpaid-in the state. The clarification comes in direct response to reports that Tesla planned to launch its robotaxi service in the Bay Area as early as this weekend.

Elon Musk had more bold projections for Tesla's robotaxi. But investors didn't get much insight on the Austin launch during Wednesday's earnings call.

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Elon Musk sees "rough quarters." A likely "robotaxi" launch in San Francisco comes with caveats. BYD is near a buy point.

Tesla’s go-fast strategy could actually slow its progress and that of the autonomous-vehicle industry if it undermines public trust, some analysts said. Tesla has historically faced legal and regulatory trouble involving its Full Self-Driving (FSD) driver-assistance system, which is not fully autonomous.