Federal Safety Investigators Question Tesla’s Robotaxi Service Plans
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation has sent Tesla a detailed list of questions regarding its upcoming robotaxi service. This investigation is focused on understanding how Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving (Supervised)” software operates in low-visibility conditions.
Tesla has been vocal about its intention to launch a paid ride-hailing robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, using its own fleet vehicles starting in June. However, the NHTSA’s scrutiny was piqued by Tesla’s recent announcement on X, where they revealed that the FSD Supervised ride-hailing service is already live for a select group of employees in Austin and the San Francisco Bay Area.
The agency’s investigation into Tesla’s FSD software began in October after several reported crashes in low-visibility scenarios. The FSD software is designed as an advanced driver-assistance system that requires the driver to remain attentive and have control over the vehicle at all times.
Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, has mentioned that the robotaxis will utilize an upcoming “unsupervised” version of the Full Self-Driving software. In response to this, the NHTSA has posed a series of questions to Tesla aimed at determining the similarities between the automated driving system in the robotaxis and the FSD Supervised product.
Specifically, the agency is seeking information on the fleet size, vehicle models to be used in the robotaxi service, safety measures for reduced visibility conditions, and the overall safety protocols for the operation of the robotaxis.
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Tesla has been given a deadline to respond to these inquiries to ensure that its robotaxi operations meet the required safety standards, especially in challenging weather conditions like sun glare, fog, dust, rain, or snow.
