Tesla Robotaxi Plans Face Federal Scrutiny
Federal safety investigators are questioning Tesla about its upcoming robotaxi service, focusing on the company’s “Full Self-Driving (Supervised)” software in low-visibility conditions.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) seeks details on Tesla’s plans to evaluate its vehicles and driving automation technologies for public road use. This inquiry follows Tesla’s announcement of a paid ride-hailing Tesla robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, scheduled for June.
Details of the Investigation
A post on X highlighted an early employee program in Austin and the San Francisco Bay Area, with over 1,500 trips and 15,000 miles driven. NHTSA’s investigation into Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving (Supervised)” software began in October after crashes in low-visibility situations. This FSD software requires driver supervision, despite handling braking and steering.
Elon Musk has stated the Tesla robotaxi service will utilize an “unsupervised” version of Full Self-Driving software.
Key Questions for Tesla
NHTSA’s letter poses questions about the robotaxi’s automated driving system’s similarity to FSD Supervised, fleet size, vehicle models, safety assessment methods, and the relationship to the FSD Supervised product. The investigation also probes how Tesla will ensure the safety of its robotaxi operations in adverse weather conditions such as sun glare, fog, dust, rain, or snow.
This Tesla robotaxi investigation aims to ensure public safety as autonomous vehicle technology advances. The findings could significantly impact Tesla’s robotaxi deployment plans.
