Overview

• Tesla launched its robotaxi service on June 22 with 10–20 Model Y vehicles operating within a geofenced area during daylight hours.
• Videos from early riders documented wrong-way lane entries, sudden braking and instances of overspeeding, raising immediate safety concerns.
• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation and is in contact with Tesla to review data on the reported incidents.
• Each robotaxi deployment includes a human safety monitor in the front passenger seat and charges invited users a $4.20 flat fee per ride.
• Tesla’s camera-only AI approach contrasts with competitors like Waymo, which uses lidar and radar across multi-city fleets.