Tesla robotaxis under fire as U.S. and France probe safety failures

• Tesla faces U.S. and French investigations after videos showed its robotaxis driving into wrong-way lanes, braking abruptly, and dropping passengers in traffic, raising safety concerns.
• The NHTSA is gathering information about the incidents, while France accuses Tesla of deceptive marketing about self-driving capabilities amid plummeting local sales.
• Test footage revealed near-misses and traffic violations, including a robotaxi veering into oncoming traffic and another stopping mid-road, alarming safety experts.
• Elon Musk remains optimistic, predicting millions of fully autonomous Teslas by next year, despite years of missed deadlines and competitors like Waymo leading in autonomous rides.
• Tesla’s struggles highlight the risks of rushing unproven tech, with regulators tightening scrutiny and public trust fading as the company lags behind in real-world performance.

Tesla is facing investigations in the U.S. and France following troubling incidents involving its robotaxi service in Austin, Texas. Videos captured by early test riders showed vehicles entering wrong-way lanes, abruptly braking, and even dropping passengers in the middle of traffic, raising serious safety concerns.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an inquiry, while French regulators have accused Tesla of “deceptive marketing” regarding its self-driving claims. With only 10 to 20 robotaxis operating in a limited test zone, the incidents highlight the risks of rushing unproven technology onto public roads.

Regulators take action amid safety failures

The NHTSA confirmed it is “aware of the referenced incidents and is in contact with the manufacturer to gather additional information.” The agency emphasized that while automakers self-certify compliance with safety standards, regulators will intervene when defects emerge. “NHTSA will continue to enforce the law on all manufacturers of motor vehicles and equipment,” the agency stated, signaling that Tesla is not exempt from scrutiny.

Meanwhile, France’s crackdown comes as Tesla’s local sales plummet, with registrations dropping from 3,118 in January 2024 to just 1,141 this year. Authorities ordered Tesla to stop misleading claims about its vehicles’ autonomous capabilities in a move that could foreshadow broader regulatory pushback in Europe.

Videos reveal alarming driving errors

Footage from Tesla’s handpicked test riders—many of them vocal supporters of the company—revealed multiple near-misses and traffic violations. One robotaxi veered into an oncoming traffic lane for six seconds before correcting itself, prompting honks from other drivers. Another abruptly braked with no visible obstruction, sending a passenger’s belongings flying. In a third incident, a vehicle stopped in the middle of a six-lane road to drop off riders, forcing them to navigate through traffic.

Safety experts were stunned by the frequency of errors. “This is awfully early to have a bunch of videos of erratic and poor driving,” said Philip Koopman, a Carnegie Mellon University autonomous technology expert. “I was not expecting as many videos of problematic driving on the very first day.”

Despite the setbacks, Musk remains bullish. “I predict that there will be millions of Teslas operating fully autonomously in the second half of next year,” he declared in April. Yet this claim echoes years of missed deadlines, including his 2019 pledge that Tesla would deploy a million robotaxis by 2020.

The Austin test, limited to a small fleet of Model Ys with safety monitors, avoids complex intersections and bad weather, which is hardly the “full autonomy” Musk has long promised. Meanwhile, competitors like Waymo have already surpassed 10 million paid autonomous rides, while Tesla struggles with basic lane-keeping.

Tesla’s robotaxi troubles underscore a growing divide between Silicon Valley’s “move fast and break things” ethos and the real-world consequences of untested technology. With regulators circling and public trust eroding, the company must prove its systems are safe—not just hyped. For now, the road to full autonomy remains littered with hazards, and Tesla’s rush to dominate it may have hit a red light.

Sources for this article include:

TheNationalPulse.com

Reuters.com

TheGuardian.com

CNBC.com