Nov 18 (Reuters) - Tesla has received a permit

to operate as a transportation network company in Arizona, a

state regulator said on Tuesday, in a step toward expanding the

electric vehicle maker's robotaxi service.

The TNC permit will allow Tesla to run an Uber-like

ride-hailing service and charge passengers, but does not let it

operate driverless vehicles. Under a self-certification process,

Tesla, in September, got a permit from the state to test its

autonomous vehicles with a safety driver.

The company has also applied for a permit to test without a

driver.

After years of missed promises and several company closures

due to high costs, tight regulations and federal investigations,

the robotaxi industry has rebounded with Tesla, Alphabet's

Waymo and Amazon's Zoox speeding up

expansion.

Tesla this year launched a robotaxi service in Austin,

Texas, with a safety monitor in the front passenger seat. After

promising to expand the service to about half the U.S.

population by the end of this year, CEO Elon Musk said last

month Tesla would operate robotaxis in 8-10 metro areas by that

time.

Tesla also runs a chauffeur-style service operated by human

drivers in the San Francisco Bay area and has obtained a permit

in Nevada to test its autonomous vehicles on public roads.

Tesla, which applied for the Arizona TNC authorization on

November 13, met the requirements and received the permit on

November 17, the state's Department of Transportation said in a

statement.