Tabs API is usable without tabs permission.

chrome/common/extensions/extension_unittest.cc

Index: chrome/common/extensions/extension_unittest.cc
diff --git a/chrome/common/extensions/extension_unittest.cc b/chrome/common/extensions/extension_unittest.cc
index 9798bbdae6b0e2245cb56f89caec710149271177..2b49ad1a5d9249d79b77b1300bfe79fedea4730e 100644
--- a/chrome/common/extensions/extension_unittest.cc
+++ b/chrome/common/extensions/extension_unittest.cc
@@ -597,7 +597,6 @@ TEST(ExtensionTest, ApiPermissions) {
     { "bookmarks",      false },
     { "cookies",        false },
     { "history",        false },
-    { "tabs.onUpdated", false },
     // Make sure we find the module name after stripping '.' and '/'.
     { "browserAction/abcd/onClick",  true },
     { "browserAction.abcd.onClick",  true },
@@ -606,7 +605,8 @@ TEST(ExtensionTest, ApiPermissions) {
     { "tabs.onRemoved",   true},
     { "tabs.remove",      true},
     { "tabs.update",      true},
-    { "tabs.getSelected", false},
+    { "tabs.getSelected", true},
+    { "tabs.onUpdated",   true },
     // Test getPermissionWarnings functions. Only one requires permissions.
     { "management.getPermissionWarningsById", false },
     { "management.getPermissionWarningsByManifest", true },