Legal progress and safety concerns for Tesla robotaxi in Texas
Lawmakers from the Texas House and Senate are pushing Tesla to delay the launch of its robotaxi service.
In a letter sent on June 18, they asked Tesla to delay the launch until September, when new autonomous driving regulations take effect in Texas.
New regulations raise concerns among lawmakers
Under the new law, self-driving cars must be registered under Texas law and meet safety and vehicle standards, and specifically must meet a “minimum risk condition” if the self-driving system fails.
In addition, businesses operating self-driving cars must also submit an emergency interaction plan to the Police Department, instructing the ambulance team on how to handle situations when encountering unmanned self-driving cars.
Lawmakers suggested Tesla could proceed with the robotaxi launch on June 22 if it responded to the letter, providing evidence that Tesla would comply with the new law as soon as it operates autonomously in Austin.
However, one of the letter’s signatories expressed doubts about Tesla’s readiness for launch. “I’m not sure the cars are ready yet,” Goodwin told CBS Austin. “There’s a lot of work to be done before we can put them on the road.”
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the company has been testing fully autonomous vehicles on Austin streets for the past month, with a driverless Tesla Model Y already on public roads.
In May, Musk also announced Tesla's plan to deploy thousands of robotaxis in Austin, with plans to expand to other cities like San Francisco.
But a safety test by The Dawn Project, an organization opposed to Tesla's self-driving technology, found a Model Y in Fully Self-Driving mode unable to stop at a school bus stop sign and a miniature dummy, highlighting questions about the safety of widespread deployment.
Texas attracts self-driving car companies but worries about public oversight
Currently, Texas has minimal regulations for self-driving cars, requiring only basic registration and insurance, making it a hotbed for companies like Tesla.
If Tesla decides to go ahead with the launch, it will compete with platforms like Google's Waymo, Amazon's Zoox, and projects from Volkswagen and Hyundai.
However, the lack of clear regulation has raised safety concerns, especially as Tesla faces unfulfilled commitments and recent safety testing failures.
In May 2025, NHTSA sent a letter asking Tesla to report on how the robotaxi handles collisions, limited visibility, and emergencies.
While Tesla has not yet officially responded to the letters, a response is expected to be sent by June 19.
In that context, Tesla's response may not significantly hinder its launch in Texas, where the auto industry's protectionist policies are liberal and have little oversight.
Elon Musk stressed that the company places great importance on safety, and all plans can be adjusted if necessary.
“We are extremely cautious about safety, the launch date may change,” Musk posted on X on June 10.
Source: https://tintucbitcoin.com/texas-de-xuat-hoan-ra-mat-robotaxi-musk/
Thank you for reading this article!
Please Like, Comment and Follow TinTucBitcoin to stay updated with the latest news about the cryptocurrency market and not miss any important information!
