Tesla's new ride-hailing service hits San Francisco’s Bay Area, using safety drivers due to strict California regulations. The invite-only service expands from Austin, aiming to grow despite permit challenges.

Tesla is effectively starting up a chauffeur-style taxi operation in the San Francisco Bay Area, Reuters reports. Sound like a strange move for a company obsessed with self-driving cars? That’s because it’s far from the whole story — and not exactly what Tesla is aiming to ultimately accomplish.