The Tesla Robotaxi pilot, an exclusive invite-only event attended by tech industry elites, encountered multiple issues during its debut. Despite no fatalities, the autonomous taxi service faced scrutiny after reports of traffic violations and incidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is now reviewing social media videos and Tesla’s data to assess safety concerns. Initially, Tesla’s stock surged 10% following the Robotaxi announcement, but a Bloomberg report about NHTSA’s inquiry led to a 1.4% drop. Such regulatory reviews are standard, and Tesla is not alone in facing NHTSA’s oversight.
Tesla Robotaxis: Driving on the wrong side
Rob Maurer, the host of Tesla Daily, was one of the few who took the inaugural test ride of the Robotaxi in Austin, Texas. During the drive, the Robotaxi switched on the left indicator based on the navigation system, but when the turn came, the vehicle hesitated a couple of times. The steering wheel initially took a slight left, then steered right, looking thoroughly confused. While it was figuring out which way to go, the Robotaxi missed the turn and continued driving on the wrong side of the road. Thankfully, there was no vehicle coming from the other side.
Tesla Robotaxis: Overspeeding
Two video posts on X highlighted instances where Tesla’s Robotaxi, based on the Model Y, exceeded speed limits during autonomous operation. In one video, posted by Tesla investor Sawyer Merritt, the Robotaxi reached 36 mph (58 kmph) in a 30 mph (48 kmph) zone during his seventh ride. While Merritt included this moment in the video, he did not explicitly address the speeding issue, possibly due to being an investor in Tesla.
According to Bloomberg, Herbert Ong, a YouTuber, said that the Robotaxi was driving faster than the official speed limit of 35 mph. He said, “It’s going at 39 right now, which is perfect, right, because I don’t want to drive at 35, and it’s driving at the same flow of traffic,” Ong said. “If everyone else is driving at this speed, you want to be at the same speed.”
