Officials launch investigation into Tesla robotaxis after disturbing videos surface: 'Incidents involving potential safety defects'

Tesla's long-awaited robotaxi service has already hit a roadblock after eyebrow-raising videos prompted safety regulators to launch an investigation.

What's happening?

An exclusive invite allowed passengers to use the Tesla robotaxi service for the first time in Austin. Tesla CEO Elon Musk had been promising autonomous vehicles for years. The Model Y SUVs include the company's Full Self-Driving technology, but the ride-hailing service ran into problems soon after it began. 

In one video shared online, a navigation issue caused the robotaxi to attempt a left turn at the wrong light. The steering wheel appeared to malfunction as the vehicle attempted to correct. Other issues caught on camera included sudden braking and ending a ride in the middle of traffic. 

According to CNBC, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is looking into "incidents involving potential safety defects" with the self-driving cars. Tesla representatives did not respond to CNBC's request for comment regarding the investigation. 

Why is the Tesla robotaxi rollout important?

Studies have shown that self-driving vehicles like the Tesla robotaxis provide substantial environmental benefits. In fact, MIT researchers discovered that fuel consumption would drop by 18% if every car on the road were autonomous. Even more, carbon dioxide pollution would decrease by 25%.  

Tesla robotaxis, like the brand's other vehicles, are fully electric. EVs have no tailpipe pollution, which means they produce less heat-trapping pollution than gas-powered cars, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A study also found that the planet-friendly cars last longer than their gas counterparts. 

The debut of Tesla's robotaxi service sent company shares up by 8%, according to CNBC. However, the EV company has struggled in recent months with shrinking global sales. Some reports attributed the decline to Musk's involvement in American politics, which sparked protests and boycotts.

What's being done about robotaxi expansion?

There are only a limited number of Tesla robotaxis on the road so far. However, Musk predicted millions of robotaxis would hit the streets by the end of 2026, according to Reuters. 

Meanwhile, Tesla has competition from another self-driving service. Waymo officially launched its autonomous service in Austin back in March through a partnership with Uber. The company currently has 1,500 vehicles in its all-electric fleet in various cities across the United States.

Until robotaxis are widely available, drivers interested in making the switch to an EV can likely find a deal. New data revealed the used EV market spiked considerably from 2023 to 2024. In addition to saving money upfront, EV drivers can also save hundreds of dollars a year on gas and maintenance.  

Would you ride in a self-driving Tesla Robotaxi? Heck yes 👍 Probably 😏 Not anytime soon 🤔 No way 🙅 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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