U.S. auto regulators are pressing Tesla for detailed answers surrounding its plans to launch a paid robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, in June. In a letter made public on Monday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration requested that Tesla outline its deployment plans and provide key safety details.
NHTSA’s primary concern is how Tesla’s full self-driving (FSD) technology will perform in reduced visibility conditions such as sun glare, fog, airborne dust, rain or snow. The agency also seeks information on how Tesla intends to handle emergency scenarios during robotaxi operations and whether the vehicles will be supervised remotely in real time.
The letter further asks Tesla to clarify the number of vehicles in the fleet, the expected timeline for rollout and the types of sensors and cameras used for safe operation. NHTSA also wants to know if Tesla’s systems comply fully or partially with industry standards for autonomous driving technology.
In October, NHTSA opened an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD technology after four reports of crashes, two of which resulted in fatalities. In one case, a pedestrian was struck and killed by a 2021 Model Y in Rimrock, Arizona, that was operating in FSD mode. The second fatal incident occurred in April 2024, when a Model S operating in FSD mode struck and killed a motorcyclist.
In December 2023, Tesla recalled over 2 million vehicles to install new safeguards in its Autopilot system. However, the agency is still reviewing whether those measures adequately address concerns over driver attention and system safety.
