Tesla under US Regulators' Scrutiny: New Robotaxis Violate Traffic Rules

The US federal regulator has contacted Tesla regarding traffic violations by its new self-driving cars, which were reported on social media.

This was reported by UNN with reference to the BBC.

Details

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated that it is "aware of the incidents mentioned and is contacting the manufacturer to gather additional information."

This reaction followed the publication of videos showing Tesla's robotic taxis, with a safety driver in the passenger seat, behaving erratically on the roads.

For example, in one video, the car abruptly stopped in front of a police car parked on the side of the road.

TechCrunch noted that "the cars also exceeded the speed limit and drove into oncoming lanes."

Despite expectations, Tesla's program launch was quite modest. The first self-driving tests took place on Sunday in Austin, Texas, involving only 12 vehicles.

A small group of investors, opinion leaders, and analysts were allowed to participate in the rides.

Company head Elon Musk marked this event on the social network X.

This is the culmination of a decade of hard work

Tesla warned that robotaxis would not operate in difficult weather conditions, would not enter problematic intersections, and would not pick up passengers under 18 years old.

However, compared to competitors, the company is still lagging. For example, Waymo (Alphabet) and Zoox (Amazon) self-driving cars are already serving customers in Austin, San Francisco, and Phoenix. Similar systems are also operating in China, the UAE, and Singapore.

Analysts note that Tesla's launch demonstrates how much it still needs to catch up. Unlike most competitors, Tesla does not use radars and laser sensors, relying solely on cameras. The company considers this approach cheaper and potentially more attractive to consumers.

Additionally

Despite this, questions arise regarding the safety of the chosen technology. The NHTSA regulator emphasized that it does not approve innovations in advance.

By law, we do not pre-approve new technologies or vehicle systems – rather, manufacturers certify that each vehicle meets NHTSA's strict safety standards, and the agency investigates incidents involving potential safety defects

Recall

As reported by UNN, Tesla began limited testing of the Robotaxi service on June 22 in Texas, allowing rides only to invited individuals accompanied by "safety monitors."