Federal safety regulators are looking for Tesla to clarify how it plans to ensure safety for passengers when its camera-only “Robotaxis” launch in Austin next month.
A letter from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released on Monday asks Tesla to provide comprehensive technical, legal, and operational information regarding its plans for a fully automated fleet, expected to be deployed in June. This inquiry ties into ongoing investigations that cover 2.4 million vehicles involved in several accidents attributed to the limitations of Tesla’s fully automated driving (FSD) software under poor visibility conditions.
“Describe how your system is designed to comply with the Road Safety Act and how Tesla monitors adherence to safety laws, including interaction with traffic control measures, construction zones, and first responders,” the letter stated. “Also, clarify your plan for assessing whether the Robotaxi system meets acceptable and safe operational standards.”
The agency seeks to understand how many Model Y vehicles have been modified for passenger transport, what backup operations are in place for unanticipated driverless system issues, whether human supervisors can step in if necessary, and the rationale behind Tesla’s reliance on a camera-only setup for autonomous travel. Furthermore, Tesla must confirm whether it complies with all federal safety standards or if it requires exemptions. This is an area where competitors like Waymo and Cruise have opted for additional Lidar and radar technologies for federal compliance.
Musk, however, has consistently dismissed the need for radar, arguing that “people don’t drive lasers from their eyes,” insisting that relying on vision and AI is ultimately safer and more cost-effective.
“Just try Tesla’s autonomous driving; you’ll see what I mean,” he asserted.
Critics, including representatives from Waymo, contend that this philosophy can hinder the system in challenging conditions like glare or poor weather.
Waymo’s Lidar sensors, for example, help detect pedestrians even in low visibility situations, generating detailed 3D maps through light waves.
Tesla indicated in April that it was pushing forward with plans for the Robotaxi pilot program in Austin by June, even as some investors voiced concerns about the viability of an unsupervised FSD version.
This regulatory scrutiny is rooted in a history of accidents involving Tesla vehicles, including a pedestrian fatality in Arizona in 2023 and serious incidents in 2024 due to visibility issues. Recently, Tesla also recalled over two million vehicles, introducing stricter warnings for driver attention, although regulators are still assessing the adequacy of these changes.
As of now, neither NHTSA nor Tesla has responded to inquiries for comments regarding the situation.
