Elon Musk, in classic fashion, unleashed a wave of hype and headlines on Wednesday when he casually posted on X that Tesla’s autonomous taxi service — which launched in minimal form in Austin, Texas, in June — is on its way to the Bay Area. “Waiting on regulatory approvals,” he posted, “but probably in a month or two.” Don’t hold your breath.

Tesla has told California Department of Motor Vehicles officials that it plans to take a phased approach to operating in the state, starting with giving employees pre-arranged rides using a safety