A Tesla robotaxi drives on the road alongside South Congress Avenue in Austin, Texas, on June 22, 2025
Joel Angel Juarez | Reuters
Tesla was contacted by the Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration on Monday after videos posted on social media confirmed the corporate’s robotaxis driving in a chaotic method on public roads in Austin, Texas.
Elon Musk’s electrical car maker debuted autonomous journeys in Austin on Sunday, opening the service to a restricted variety of riders by invitation solely.
In movies shared extensively on social media, one Tesla robotaxi was noticed touring the incorrect method down a street, and one other was proven braking hard in the midst of visitors, responding to “stationary police automobiles exterior its driving path.”
A spokesperson for NHTSA mentioned in an e-mail that the company “is conscious of the referenced incidents and is in touch with the producer to collect extra info.”
Tesla Vice President of Automobile Engineering Lars Moravy, and regulatory counsel Casey Blaine did not instantly reply to a request for remark.
The federal security regulator says it would not “pre-approve new applied sciences or car programs.” As a substitute, automakers certify that every car mannequin they make meets federal motorized vehicle security requirements. The company says it should examine “incidents involving potential security defects,” and take “obligatory actions to guard street security,” after assessing a big selection of studies and data.
NHTSA beforehand initiated an investigation into attainable security defects with Tesla’s FSD-Supervised know-how, or FSD Beta programs, following injurious and deadly accidents. That probe is ongoing.
The Tesla robotaxis in Austin are Mannequin Y SUVs geared up with the corporate’s education FSD Unsupervised software program and {hardware}. The pilot robotaxi service, involving fewer than two-dozen automobiles, operates throughout sunlight hours and solely in good climate, with a human security supervisor within the entrance passenger seat.
The service is now restricted to invited customers, who comply with the phrases of Tesla’s “early entry program.” Those that have obtained invitations are largely promoters of Tesla’s merchandise, inventory and CEO.
Whereas the rollout despatched Tesla shares up 8% on Monday, the launch fell shy of fulfilling Musk’s many driverless guarantees over the previous decade.
In 2015, Musk informed shareholders Tesla automobiles would obtain “full autonomy” inside three years. In 2016, he mentioned a Tesla EV would be capable to make a cross-country drive while not having any human intervention earlier than the tip of 2017. And in 2019, on a call with institutional investors that helped him increase greater than $2 billion, Musk mentioned Tesla would have 1 million robotaxi-ready automobiles on the street in 2020, in a position to full 100 hours of driving work per week every, earning money for his or her homeowners.
None of that has occurred.
In the meantime, Alphabet-owned Waymo says it has surpassed 10 million paid journeys final month. Opponents in China, together with Baidu’s Apollo Go, WeRide and Pony.ai, are additionally working business robotaxi fleets.
WATCH: Tesla launches robotaxis in Austin as robotaxi race heats up
