The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched an investigation into Tesla after the first day of commercial robotaxi service in Austin. The cause was numerous traffic violations captured on video.
G. Ostrov
Tesla's ambitious launch of commercial robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, was marred by serious incidents on the very first day of operation. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) contacted Tesla less than 24 hours after paid rides began.
What Happened in Austin
On Sunday, Tesla launched commercial transportation for selected customers in south Austin. This marked the first real-world testing of the company's autonomous driving technology in commercial conditions. However, the system showed serious problems on the very first day.
Numerous videos that appeared on social media documented various traffic violations:
- Speeding violations
- Driving into oncoming traffic lanes
- Sudden unnecessary braking
- Inadequate response to parked police vehicles
Regulatory Response
NHTSA responded quickly to the incidents, contacting Tesla with demands for information about the occurrences. In an official statement, the agency confirmed awareness of the registered cases and continued data collection from the manufacturer.
The regulator emphasized that under US law, automakers independently certify their products' compliance with safety standards, while NHTSA conducts investigations when potential defects are identified.
System Technical Features
Tesla's robotaxis use an unsupervised version of the Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, details of which the developer does not disclose. This differs fundamentally from the regular FSD version, which is classified as an assistance system requiring constant driver supervision.
Cars are summoned through a special app and should move independently. However, for safety reasons, a human safety operator is always present in the front passenger seat during rides.
Documented Incidents
TechCrunch journalist Ed Niedermayer, who was observing the launch in Austin, documented a characteristic incident: the robotaxi braked sharply for no apparent reason when approaching parked police cars. This video was published on YouTube and clearly demonstrated problems in the system's operation.
Future Development Prospects
The situation remains under close NHTSA scrutiny. The regulator's further actions will be determined by the results of the investigation and analysis of collected data. This could affect not only Tesla's robotaxi program but the entire autonomous driving industry in the US.
The incident highlights the complexities of implementing autonomous driving technologies in real urban environments and the importance of thorough testing before commercial launch.
Official Tesla website: Tesla
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