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.

Tesla is preparing to launch its robotaxi service in San Francisco as soon as this weekend, Business Insider reported on Friday, citing an internal staff memo. The company's robotaxi business is still in its early stages,