Tesla's Robotaxi Rollout Faces Scrutiny from U.S. Regulators

U.S. highway safety regulators are delving into Tesla's responses regarding the safety of its self-driving robotaxi technology in adverse weather conditions. The evaluation comes as the electric vehicle giant prepares to deploy these vehicles in a limited capacity, targeting a Sunday kickoff in Austin, Texas.

According to a Reuters report, Tesla has disseminated invitations to a select group for this testing phase. This development follows a detailed inquiry initiated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) last month, which demanded Tesla specify its plans for the robotaxi service, including performance metrics in challenging weather.

The NHTSA's investigation, which began in October, includes 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with full self-driving technology. It was prompted by four incidents, including a fatal collision in 2023. The agency is focused on evaluating the vehicles' response to decreased visibility and obtaining further data on Tesla's robotaxi deployment strategies.

(With inputs from agencies.)