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Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
U.S. regulators are circling after Tesla's Robotaxi launch included unexpected behavior and potentially broken traffic laws
Tesla's Robotaxi launch event in Austin Sunday got rave reviews from analysts, but also led to several attendees posting videos of Tesla vehicles behaving unexpectedly. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reached out a day later, and said it 'will take any necessary actions to protect road safety.' The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) contacted Tesla a day after its Sunday Robotaxi launch after videos online showed the company's autonomous vehicles acting erratically and possibly violating traffic laws. The launch, which was mostly limited to invited Tesla investors, analysts, and influencers, gave the public its first look at Tesla's Robotaxi technology, which is an 'unsupervised' version of its already available Full Self-Driving (Supervised) tech. Tesla first revealed the company's Cybercab and larger Robovan in a splashy event at the Warner Bros. studio in Burbank, Calif. last October. But Sunday's launch in Austin, Texas, was the biggest development in nearly a year (and arguably a decade) of Tesla CEO Elon Musk touting Tesla's Robotaxi ambitions, reportedly despite internal warnings claiming the Cybercab may never be profitable. The event garnered rave reviews by some Tesla analysts, including Wedbush's Dan Ives. 'Going into it, we expected to be impressed but walking away from it, all there is to say is that this is the future,' he wrote in a note. Still, videos taken by attendees Sunday showed Tesla's vehicles driving erratically and in some cases violating traffic laws and safe traffic practices, despite the presence of a 'safety monitor' in the front seat. In one video taken by Tesla investor Rob Maurer, the vehicle he is traveling in hesitates at an intersection and enters a lane meant for cars traveling in the opposite direction. The car then appears to break traffic laws by crossing a double solid yellow line before entering a left turn lane. A honk can be heard in the video. In another video posted to YouTube by Ed Niedermeyer, author of Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors, one of the Robotaxis 'brakes hard' after passing stopped police vehicles that weren't in its immediate path. 'The fact that it came nearly to a stop twice on public roads is downright unsafe,' wrote Niedermeyer in the video description. These incidents, along with others posted to social media, led the NHTSA to reach out to Tesla Monday, the federal agency confirmed. 'NHTSA is aware of the referenced incidents and is in contact with the manufacturer to gather additional information. NHTSA will continue to enforce the law on all manufacturers of motor vehicles and equipment, in accordance with the Vehicle Safety Act and our data-driven, risk-based investigative process,' the agency wrote in a statement to Fortune. The agency clarified that it does not 'pre-approve new technologies or vehicle systems,' but rather certifies that vehicles meet its safety standards and follows up on possible safety defect incidents. 'Following an assessment of those reports and other relevant information, NHTSA will take any necessary actions to protect road safety,' the agency wrote. The NHTSA has a separate existing investigation open into crashes involving Tesla vehicles using Full Self-Driving (Supervised) technology. Tesla did not immediately respond to Fortune's request for comment. Tesla has not responded publicly to the Sunday incidents, but prior to the launch, Tesla responded to NHTSA's questions about its Robotaxi program, reported electric transportation and sustainable energy outlet Electrek. The company has reportedly asked the NHTSA to keep its responses confidential, according to the outlet. The NHTSA's most recent reach out to Tesla does not mean it has opened an investigation, said Jason Turchin, a Florida-based product liability lawyer who has previously worked with vehicle cases. Still, the company should be on alert following the incidents. If the issue escalates further, Turchin said the NHTSA has broad authority to enforce a recall or impose fines on the company. 'What it sounds like is that they're in the phase right now, of like, 'we're watching you. We're aware of this potential, and we need reassurance that this is not the case,'' he told Fortune. Turchin said he hopes the NHTSA and federal government take advantage of the recent Tesla incidents as well as the general increase in self-driving vehicles to craft regulations that deal with their production and use. Still, Craig Melrose, a former vehicle production engineer at Toyota and now global managing partner of advanced technologies and mobility at consulting agency HTEC, said the NHTSA reach out to Tesla may be a positive development. 'Regulatory agencies like NHTSA exist to ensure standardization and the adoption of best practices across the industry, so their involvement can be a positive signal, especially if this is simply a proactive review,' Melrose told Fortune. This story was originally featured on
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Tesla's robotaxis have already caught the attention of federal safety regulators
Federal safety regulators have reached out to Tesla a day after the automaker began providing rides in its branded robotaxis in Austin. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration contacted Tesla after numerous videos posted online appear to show Tesla robotaxis violating traffic laws in South Austin, where the company is providing rides to invited customers. Bloomberg was the first to report that NHTSA reached out to Tesla. NHTSA confirmed to TechCrunch that is has contacted the automaker. 'NHTSA is aware of the referenced incidents and is in contact with the manufacturer to gather additional information,' the company said in an emailed statement. 'NHTSA will continue to enforce the law on all manufacturers of motor vehicles and equipment, in accordance with the Vehicle Safety Act and our data-driven, risk-based investigative process. Under U.S. law, NHTSA does not pre-approve new technologies or vehicle systems – rather, manufacturers certify that each vehicle meets NHTSA's rigorous safety standards, and the agency investigates incidents involving potential safety defects. Following an assessment of those reports and other relevant information, NHTSA will take any necessary actions to protect road safety.' On Sunday, Tesla began giving paid rides to invited customers in South Austin. The launch, while limited in size and scope, is the first real test of the automaker's autonomous vehicle technology. Tesla does sell its branded Full Self-Driving Supervised software to owners of its vehicles. FSD handles steering and braking when engaged. However, it is considered an advanced driver assistance system that requires the driver to have their hands on the wheel. Tesla robotaxis are equipped with an unsupervised version of FSD, although the company has not provided specific details about this software. The robotaxis, which customers can hail via an app, are meant to drive on their own. Notably, Tesla robotaxis have a human 'safety monitor' sitting in the front passenger seat during these rides. Videos posted online show the Tesla robotaxis driving over the speed limit and in one case, swerving into the wrong lane. TechCrunch reported Sunday that Ed Niedermeyer, author of 'Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors,' who is in Austin to monitor the robotaxi rollout, took video showing a Tesla branded robotaxi suddenly hitting its brakes on two occasions without reason. A video, which TechCrunch has viewed and has since been posted on YouTube, shows that in both instances the Tesla hit the brakes as it approached police vehicles that were located in parking lots adjacent to the roadway. Sign in to access your portfolio
