New bill would ban Tesla’s camera-only Robotaxi, not Waymo

New Jersey lawmakers are moving forward with a bill that would set hardware rules for driverless commercial vehicles, and it happens to rule out Tesla's current approach. The bill would require fully driverless vehicles to use cameras plus two other types of sensors, in practice meaning radar and lidar in addition to cameras. Tesla's Robotaxi relies on cameras alone, so it wouldn't qualify. The bill also favors vehicles that keep a steering wheel and pedals, which would rule out Tesla's Cybercab, a vehicle already in production without either. Neighboring New York is weighing a similar rule.

This is not about consumer cars. The bill's sponsor has clarified it only applies to companies running driverless commercial fleets, not to features like Autopilot or Full Self-Driving in personal vehicles, which still require a licensed driver paying attention behind the wheel. Tesla had urged its New Jersey owners to contact lawmakers, warning the bill would ban Tesla from the state, and thousands of owners emailed in protest, some worried their own cars' driver-assist features would be disabled. That fear turned out to be off base.

If you own a Tesla with Autopilot or Full Self-Driving, this news doesn't change how your car works today. It matters mainly if you're watching whether robotaxi services expand into New Jersey, since companies like Waymo, which already use cameras, radar, and lidar together, would meet the proposed rules, while Tesla's driverless plans would not unless it adds more sensors.