U.S. auto safety regulators have asked Tesla to provide details about its upcoming robotaxi service planned for Austin, Texas, as part of an ongoing investigation into the performance of the company’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology under limited visibility conditions.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in a letter released on Monday, said it is seeking information to “assess the ability of Tesla’s system to react appropriately to reduced roadway visibility conditions,” such as sun glare, fog, airborne dust, rain, or snow. The agency began investigating Tesla’s FSD software in October after receiving reports of multiple crashes, including a fatal incident in 2023.
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Tesla has not publicly responded to the request. The company plans to launch a paid robotaxi service in Austin as early as June, though it has not disclosed key details such as the number of vehicles involved or how the service will be supervised.
The agency’s inquiry includes questions about the extent of Tesla’s monitoring of robotaxi operations, how the vehicles are expected to respond in degraded driving conditions, and whether Tesla’s system meets any existing industry standards for autonomous driving technologies. It also seeks information on the sensors and camera systems being used, and how they function both under supervised and unsupervised operation.
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The investigation follows a series of incidents involving Tesla’s driver-assistance systems. In November 2023, a pedestrian was fatally struck in Rimrock, Arizona, by a Model Y operating under FSD. In April 2024, a Tesla Model S in FSD mode reportedly collided with and killed a motorcyclist in the Seattle area.
In December, Tesla recalled more than 2 million vehicles in the U.S. to implement safety enhancements to its Autopilot system. NHTSA is still evaluating whether those measures are sufficient to address concerns that drivers may not remain attentive while using FSD technology.