Tesla’s Robotaxi Pilot in Austin Faces Scrutiny After Early Mishaps

Tesla's ambitious robotaxi pilot program in Austin has hit early turbulence, with multiple videos surfacing of erratic driving behavior. The modified Model Y vehicles have exhibited critical errors including wrong-way lane navigation, abrupt braking without cause, and unsafe passenger drop-offs in high-traffic areas.

The incidents, captured by test riders, show autonomous vehicles requiring human intervention in potentially dangerous situations. One notable event involved a robotaxi briefly entering oncoming traffic before correcting course, while another required a safety driver to take control when a delivery truck reversed into its path.

Texas legislators are calling for Tesla to delay the program until September 2025 when new autonomous vehicle regulations take effect. The proposed rules would establish permitting requirements and state oversight for self-driving fleets—safeguards currently absent in Texas' regulatory framework.

These developments come at a sensitive time for autonomous vehicle technology, with critics drawing parallels to previous industry failures. The limited scale of Tesla's test fleet—reportedly just 10-20 vehicles—has done little to assuage concerns about deploying the technology on public roads without robust regulatory oversight.