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Experts Find Tesla’s Austin Robotaxi Vision-Only System Insufficient

Camera-only sensing has triggered phantom braking, lane errors, safety-monitor interventions, investigations by regulators, demands for richer sensor suites

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A driverless Tesla robotaxi, a ride-booking service, moves through traffic, Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Austin, Texas.
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Overview

  • An invite-only pilot launched on June 22 using 10–20 Model Y SUVs confined to a roughly 5.5-by-3.5 mile zone in Austin
  • Each robotaxi carries a passenger-seat safety monitor with an “In Lane Stop” button to halt the vehicle in emergencies
  • Influencer ride videos document instances of speeding over limits, wrong-lane entries, phantom braking and minor collisions
  • The NHTSA opened a formal probe into the trial and Tesla faces a class-action lawsuit over alleged phantom braking in its Autopilot system
  • Experts recommend adding radar or lidar sensors before any nationwide rollout planned for millions of robotaxis by end of 2025