Tesla Robotaxi Test Faces Federal Safety Scrutiny \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Tesla’s self-driving robotaxi tests in Austin, Texas, are under federal review after safety concerns. Videos showed erratic behaviors, including wrong-lane driving and sudden stops, triggering an NHTSA inquiry. While some hail the tests as successful, critics call for suspension of public trials.
Quick Looks
- NHTSA has contacted Tesla after videos showed erratic robotaxi behavior in Austin tests.
- Incidents include Teslas veering into opposing lanes and sudden stops without clear reason.
- Videos surfaced on X and YouTube despite some riders praising smooth rides.
- NHTSA is gathering data from Tesla; a broader investigation may follow if issues persist.
- Stock rose 8% after the initial test but fell over 2% following news of the probe.
- Analyst Dan Ives called the rollout a “huge success,” expecting software refinements.
- Critics argue the system is too unpredictable for public testing without trained backup drivers.
- Tesla has not commented; it previously recalled 2.4 million vehicles due to self-driving concerns.
Deep Look
Federal safety regulators are now scrutinizing Tesla’s pilot robotaxi program after troubling video evidence emerged from Austin, Texas, showing the vehicles making potentially dangerous driving errors. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) confirmed on Tuesday that it has requested more information from Tesla after observing videos that depict robotaxis failing basic traffic rules — such as driving down the wrong side of the road, making illegal moves from turning lanes, and braking unpredictably in traffic.
The probe comes just days into Tesla’s highly publicized rollout of its Full Self-Driving-based robotaxis in Texas, which Elon Musk touted as the future of autonomous transport. The footage — posted by users on X and YouTube — quickly went viral, showing behavior inconsistent with Musk’s long-standing claims that Tesla’s self-driving systems are safer than human drivers.
In one particularly alarming clip, a Tesla drives straight through an intersection from a left-turn-only lane, enters oncoming traffic, and swerves erratically before correcting course. Though no vehicles were nearby, the visual showed clear confusion in the vehicle’s response. The passenger in that vehicle, money manager Rob Maurer, dismissed the incident in commentary, saying, “There are no vehicles anywhere in sight, so this wasn’t a safety issue,” and adding that he never felt uncomfortable.
Other videos show abrupt stops, one involving flashing police lights unrelated to the robotaxi’s presence. Though these specific incidents didn’t lead to collisions, critics say they expose serious flaws in Tesla’s approach to public testing without trained safety drivers behind the wheel.
One of those critics, Sam Abuelsamid, a respected analyst at Telemetry Insight, was blunt: “This is not a system that should be carrying members of the public or being tested on public roads without trained test drivers.” He cited Tesla’s inconsistent performance history and warned of the real dangers posed by unpredictable decision-making in live traffic.
Still, not all responses have been negative. Tesla supporters and bullish investors, such as Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives, defended the rollout. Ives, who rode in a robotaxi during Sunday’s initial phase, called the ride “perfect” and characterized the entire rollout as a “huge success despite the skeptics.” He insisted that any software issues would be promptly resolved and minimized the video incidents as anomalies.
Investors initially responded positively to the launch, sending Tesla shares up 8% on Monday. However, the enthusiasm dimmed after news broke of the NHTSA’s inquiry, prompting a 2% stock dip by Tuesday’s close.
Tesla has not issued a public comment since the NHTSA inquiry was confirmed. The company is no stranger to scrutiny; it was forced to recall 2.4 million vehicles last year after self-driving systems reportedly failed in poor visibility conditions, one of which resulted in a fatality. That recall raised significant questions about the readiness of Tesla’s self-driving software.
Musk has continually argued that Tesla’s Full Self-Driving tech will usher in a new era where cars require no human intervention, and even no steering wheels. He has projected hundreds of thousands of robotaxis on the road by late next year — an ambitious goal now potentially imperiled by renewed regulatory pressure.
Complicating matters for Musk are political and market shifts. His role in the Trump administration and outspoken support for right-wing European politicians has alienated Tesla’s traditional environmentally conscious customer base. The brand, once synonymous with progressive values and innovation, is now facing backlash in parts of Europe and declining sales in the U.S. as well.
Meanwhile, competitors like Waymo and Amazon’s Zoox continue to expand robotaxi services across multiple cities — including Austin — where Waymo recently logged its 10 millionth paid ride. Tesla’s technology may still be evolving, but in an increasingly crowded and heavily scrutinized market, Musk may need a decisive and flawless victory in the robotaxi race to restore investor and consumer confidence.
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