Overview

• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has requested comprehensive safety and operational details from Tesla by June 19, potentially delaying the planned launch of its robotaxi service in Austin, Texas.
• Tesla has yet to conduct fully driverless testing for its robotaxi program and remains reliant on human safety drivers, raising questions about its technical readiness.
• The Texas Department of Public Safety has not received Tesla's emergency response plan, a critical requirement for public deployment of autonomous vehicles.
• Experts and competitors have expressed concerns over Tesla's exclusive reliance on cameras for navigation, contrasting with competitors like Waymo that use radar and LIDAR for precision.
• Tesla's robotaxi ambitions come as the company faces slowing electric vehicle sales and operational challenges, including unresolved software issues and vehicle performance in low-visibility conditions.