Core Viewpoint - The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has contacted Tesla following reports of its robotaxis violating traffic laws during a limited rollout in Austin, raising concerns about the safety of the autonomous vehicle technology [1][2]. Group 1: NHTSA's Involvement - NHTSA is aware of incidents involving Tesla robotaxis and is gathering additional information from the manufacturer [2] - The agency emphasizes that it enforces laws on all vehicle manufacturers and investigates potential safety defects without pre-approving new technologies [2] Group 2: Tesla's Robotaxi Launch - Tesla began offering paid rides in its robotaxis to invited customers in South Austin, marking a significant test of its autonomous vehicle technology [1][3] - The robotaxis are equipped with an unsupervised version of Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) software, which allows them to drive autonomously, although a human safety monitor is present during rides [3] Group 3: Safety Concerns - Videos have surfaced showing Tesla robotaxis exceeding speed limits and swerving into the wrong lane, raising safety concerns [3] - An incident was reported where a Tesla robotaxi abruptly hit its brakes without apparent reason, particularly when approaching police vehicles [4]
Tesla's robotaxis have already caught the attention of federal safety regulators