At the time of that "We, Robot" event, Tesla had not applied for licenses and permits that would allow it to operate a commercial robotaxi service in major U.S. markets where they are required by city or state authorities.

Despite the lack of permits and licenses, Musk told analysts in an October earnings call that Tesla had already built a "development app" allowing employees to request a ride that would take them anywhere in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Bullish investors say Tesla will make good on its driverless technology promises as early as next year, but critics remain skeptical in part because of Musk's many missed deadlines on robotaxis.