San Francisco is likely to prove a more challenging area for Tesla’s self-driving systems. The city is significantly more densely populated and has more challenging roads, largely due to its extreme topography and steep streets.

With a few hiccups, Tesla heads west but scale will still take some time to achieve in an industry now full of promising startups.

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