Safety Regulators Already Looking At Tesla Robotaxi Driving Standards

Just days after Tesla rolled out the invite-only program to select influencers and investors, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirmed it is reviewing multiple incidents posted to social media that appear to show Tesla’s self-driving vehicles violating local traffic laws.

According to a report from Bloomberg, the videos posted online depict concerning behavior from the autonomous vehicles. One clip shows a Model Y robotaxi entering an intersection from a left-turn-only lane, pausing, then continuing into an unoccupied lane intended for oncoming traffic before correcting to the right side of the roadway across a double yellow line. NHTSA said other footage shows the vehicles exceeding posted speed limits in residential areas.

Tesla launched the service over the weekend with a small fleet of Model Y crossovers operating in a geofenced section of Austin. Rides are currently available only by invitation and will include a Tesla employee riding in the front passenger seat, as a safety monitor, for the foreseeable future.

Based on the safety monitor's positioning in the passenger seat, their ability to intervene in the vehicle's operation is unclear at best. Images of early rides show the supervisors poised with their hands near a switch on the passenger door, indicating their only real play is to activate a door-based emergency override system. Tesla has not publicly addressed whether the onboard monitors have access to a full range of emergency controls.

Unlike Waymo or Cruise, Tesla has launched this paid service with human monitors still onboard. The vehicles are limited to operation between 6 a.m. and midnight and avoid high-risk areas such as highways, airports, and complex intersections.

NHTSA confirmed it is gathering further details from Tesla and will determine if further action is needed. The agency also revealed that Tesla had invoked a federal law that "restricts NHTSA’s ability to publicly release what the companies label as confidential." Meaning the safety agency is not allowed to share any information Tesla provides regarding the investigation with the public. Awesome. NHTSA did say it is particularly concerned that Tesla is using its ‘Supervised Full Self-Driving’ for Robotaxi service while it is currently under active investigation after several serious accidents.

NHTSA has been investigating Tesla vehicles using Full Self-Driving software under conditions of reduced visibility since October. The probe covers 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD technology after four reported collisions, including a 2023 fatal crash. NHTSA confirmed its investigation into Tesla’s FSD-Supervised/Beta remains open.

Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter here.