The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Survey on Tesla after incidents involving the Robotaxis of the electric car manufacturer were taken in pictures this weekend During a pilot in Austin, Texas,.
The NHTSA, which operates under the Ministry of Transport and regulates the safety of cars, said it has contacted Tesla after videos have surfaced showing autonomous taxi of the company by driving in the wrong side of the road and slowing irregularly.
“The NHTSA is aware of the incidents referenced and is in contact with the manufacturer to collect additional information,” the agency said in a statement. “Following an assessment of these reports and other relevant information, the NHTSA will take the necessary measures to protect road safety.”
In a video published on social networks, a Tesla enters a marked path on the road as being only for left turns, but then goes directly through the intersection and enters an opposing path for 10 seconds before devoting several times.
The car passenger who published the video, the money director Rob Maurer, minimized the gravity of the incident. “There is no vehicle anywhere in sight, so it was not a security problem,” said Maurer in comments accompanying his video. “I didn’t feel uncomfortable in the situation.”
Another video seems to show a robotaxe stopping twice suddenly in the middle of the road, perhaps responding to the flashing lights of the police cars.
Vehicles were part of a Tesla model’s Robotaxie testin testin. Tesla investors and social media influencers who were invited to participate have published videos on social networks during the weekend describing their experience.
Eric Gay / AP
Incidents could raise questions about cars safety. Tesla’s founder and CEO, Elon Musk, said during a call for results in April that he expects him to expect millions of autonomous Tesla cars to be on the road by the second half of 2026.
But Wedbush Securities analyst, Dan Ives, who is optimistic about Tesla’s future and the market opportunity for her robotaxy, sees problems such as the inevitable growth pains involved in the deployment of new technologies.
“All the problems they encounter will be solved,” Ives told the Associated Press, calling the Austin test a “huge success”.
Tesla did not immediately respond to CBS MoneywatchComment request.
Musk said that the company’s autonomous cars are safer than human -oriented vehicles. During a January call for results, the technological billionaire said that the security of the general public and the Robotaxie passengers are “absolute priority”.
The Tesla Robotaxis probe comes after the NHTSA in October launched an investigation into Tesla’s “full autonomous” technology after four of its vehicles were involved in accidents. At the time, Tesla was forced a reminder 2.4 million of its vehicles.
Tesla was continued Tuesday by the areas of three people who were killed in an accident last September involving one of the company’s model cars, according to Reuters.
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