Tesla
‘s long-awaited robotaxi service has already hit a roadblock after eyebrow-raising videos prompted safety regulators to launch an investigation.
What’s happening?
An exclusive invite allowed passengers to use the
Tesla robotaxi service
for the first time in Austin. Tesla CEO Elon Musk had been promising
autonomous vehicles
for years. The Model Y SUVs include the company’s Full Self-Driving
technology
, but the ride-hailing service ran into problems soon after it began.
In one
video
shared online, a navigation issue caused the robotaxi to attempt a left turn at the wrong light. The steering wheel appeared to malfunction as the vehicle attempted to correct. Other issues caught on camera included
sudden braking
and
ending a ride
in the middle of traffic.
According to
CNBC
, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is looking into “incidents involving potential safety defects” with the self-driving cars. Tesla representatives did not respond to CNBC’s request for comment regarding the investigation.
Why is the Tesla robotaxi rollout important?
Studies have shown that self-driving vehicles like the Tesla robotaxis provide substantial environmental benefits. In fact, MIT researchers discovered that fuel consumption would
drop by 18%
if every car on the road were autonomous. Even more, carbon dioxide pollution would decrease by 25%.
Tesla robotaxis, like the brand’s other vehicles, are fully electric. EVs have no tailpipe pollution, which means they produce less heat-trapping pollution than gas-powered cars, according to the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
. A
study
also found that the planet-friendly cars last longer than their gas counterparts.
Watch now: Does clean energy really cause blackouts?
The debut of Tesla’s robotaxi service sent company shares
up by 8%
, according to CNBC. However, the EV company has struggled in recent months with
shrinking global sales
. Some reports attributed the decline to Musk’s involvement in American politics, which sparked
protests and boycotts
.
What’s being done about robotaxi expansion?
There are only a limited number of Tesla robotaxis on the road so far. However, Musk predicted
millions of robotaxis
would hit the streets by the end of 2026, according to Reuters.
Meanwhile, Tesla has competition from another self-driving service.
Waymo
officially launched its autonomous service in Austin back in March through a partnership with
Uber
. The company currently has
1,500 vehicles
in its
all-electric fleet
in various cities across the United States.
Until robotaxis are widely available, drivers interested in making the
switch to an EV
can likely find a deal. New data revealed the
used EV market
spiked considerably from 2023 to 2024. In addition to
saving money
upfront, EV drivers can also save hundreds of dollars a year on gas and maintenance.
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Officials launch investigation into Tesla robotaxis after disturbing videos surface: ‘Incidents involving potential safety defects’
first appeared on
The Cool Down
.
