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Tesla’s Austin Robotaxi Pilot Hit by Weather Cancellations and Minor Crashes

A rain-triggered ride cancellation alongside a sideswipe incident exposes the shortfalls of Tesla’s camera-only cars as NHTSA opens a safety investigation

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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

  • Tesla’s invite-only robotaxi service continues within a tight geofence in Austin under onboard safety monitors and remote teleoperators
  • Passengers reported a sudden mid-ride cancellation after the system detected incoming rain, forcing them to exit in a field before another vehicle arrived
  • A video captured a robotaxi grazing a parked Toyota while navigating out of a dark alley post-drop-off, underscoring challenges in low-light and tight-space maneuvers
  • Autonomous driving experts warn that relying solely on eight cameras without radar or lidar leads to AI hallucinations manifesting as phantom braking, wrong-lane driving and abrupt stops
  • The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an active probe into the pilot’s safety even as Tesla plans a broader rollout ahead of lidar-equipped rivals