US reviews Tesla's robotaxi safety ahead of planned Austin launch
What's the story
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is reviewing Tesla's responses to its concerns about the safety of its self-driving robotaxis in poor weather conditions. The review comes ahead of plans to deploy these vehicles as early as this weekend. The NHTSA had previously asked Tesla to provide detailed answers by June 19 regarding their paid robotaxi service launch in Austin, Texas.
Ongoing probe
Investigation into Tesla's full self-driving technology
The NHTSA has been investigating Tesla's full self-driving (FSD) technology since October last year, focusing on collisions that occurred under reduced roadway visibility conditions. The probe covers 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD tech after four reported collisions, including one fatal crash in 2023. In May, the agency sought more information about Tesla's robotaxi development to assess how well its system can handle reduced roadway visibility conditions.
Deployment details
The NHTA has also asked about the number of vehicles
The NHTSA has also inquired about Tesla's plans for deploying these robotaxis, including the number of vehicles that will be used and when this technology would be available for vehicles controlled by people other than Tesla. This information is crucial to understanding how well these self-driving cars can perform in different weather conditions and what safety measures are in place.