Tue, 24 Jun 2025

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 US safety regulators contact Tesla over erratic robotaxis

Videos posted online appear to show the newly launched self-driving cars speeding and driving in the wrong lane.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into Tesla's newly-launched robotaxis after footage emerged online showing them breaking traffic laws on public roads in Austin, Texas. The NHTSA is gathering information from Tesla about the incidents, which involved vehicles with a safety driver in the passenger seat driving erratically and even stopping abruptly in front of a parked police car. Despite CEO Elon Musk's claims that the robotaxis are central to Tesla's future, Sunday's launch was low-key and limited to 12 taxis. Analysts have expressed concerns that Tesla has a long way to go to catch up with rivals like Waymo and Amazon's Zoox, which already offer self-driving taxi rides in several cities. The NHTSA emphasized that it does not pre-approve new technologies or vehicle systems, but rather manufacturers certify that each vehicle meets safety standards and the agency investigates incidents involving potential safety defects.
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