Tesla on Tuesday received the first in a series of approvals from California required for the electric car maker to eventually launch a promised robotaxi service in the state, according to a state regulator.

Tesla applied for a transportation charter-party carrier permit — a prerequisite for self-driving taxi programs in California — last November. Here's what you should know.

Tesla was granted a permit from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to run a transportation service in the state. This is the first step in Tesla’s quest to offer driverless taxi rides in California, but there is still a long way to go until that happens.