Latest news with #TeslaPodcast
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Tesla Robotaxi riders raise red flags after experiencing concerning safety issues: 'The car didn't behave correctly'
Tesla launched its much-anticipated Robotaxi in Austin, Texas, last month, but early footage of the autonomous vehicle suggests it has a long way to go to catch up to a competitor, Waymo. Videos revealing operational glitches are also putting some residents on edge, prompting a new investigation from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. What's happening? Two days after Tesla's Robotaxi began offering rides on a limited basis in Austin, The Register was quick to compile and publish footage shared by influencers invited to try the service. While enthusiasm for the Robotaxi has been high among consumers and investors, it was dampened by a series of mishaps. YouTuber Dirty Tesla (@DirtyTesla) saw his ride pull over in the middle of the street with its hazard lights on — not exactly a safe location for a drop-off. "Should I actually get out?" Dirty Tesla asks the safety monitor in the front passenger seat. Traffic continues to flow while the Robotaxi is at a standstill, before a remote operator intervenes to resume the ride (the incident begins at around the 9:30 mark). YouTuber Farzad (@FarzadMediaINC) also had his Robotaxi stop at an unfortunate spot: the tail end of an intersection and partially in a crosswalk (roughly the 38-minute mark). The footage prompted a flurry of criticism from worried viewers, to which Farzad responded: "Fully agree with everyone that the car didn't behave correctly." Rob Mauer, who hosts the "Tesla Podcast," witnessed his Robotaxi abort a left turn and drive on the wrong side of the street for several moments before getting back on course. He posted footage of his journey (around the 7:20 mark) on the social platform X. Why is this important? Tesla experienced a record decline in global sales over the first two quarters of 2025, per CNN, while its stocks have been on a roller coaster. A successful Robotaxi launch was supposed to help turn the tide. Consumers across political lines report viewing the brand through a less favorable lens, per an Electric Vehicle Intelligence Report poll, with CEO Elon Musk's political activities and public feuds negatively impacting public perception and worrying investors. While this may sound dire for consumers interested in EVs, given that Tesla is one of the most recognizable EV brands worldwide, it isn't all bad news. That's because increased market competition is one of the factors impacting Tesla's EV delivery numbers. Would you trust a self-driving car on a busy city street? Definitely No way Depends on the brand Depends on the situation Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. With consumers having more options to choose from, the upfront cost of EVs has dropped, making the vehicles — coveted for their lower maintenance and energy costs, along with their contribution to healthier air quality with zero tailpipe pollution — accessible to more people. What is being done about robotaxi mistakes? Safety data from Waymo reveals that autonomous EV services can boost public safety, with the Tesla competitor revealing a 93% crash reduction involving pedestrians compared to the average human driver, as aligned with NHTSA's Standing General Order reporting timelines. While Waymo isn't immune to complaints from riders and isn't perfect, as The Register noted, it has seen an 88% reduction in crashes with serious injuries or worse (compared to human drivers). Previously, Musk delayed the Robotaxi launch, stating on X that Tesla was "being super paranoid about safety." The early Robotaxi returns suggest the company has more to do to live up to those promises. Meanwhile, the NHTSA is investigating Tesla's Robotaxi after opening a separate inquiry into its Smart Summon software. "Following an assessment of those reports and other relevant information, NHTSA will take any necessary actions to protect road safety," the organization said in a statement to The Register. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Business Insider
25-06-2025
- Automotive
- Business Insider
Tesla's robotaxi hit the streets of Austin. I watched 2 hours of videoed rides, and I have some thoughts.
I watched over two hours of footage of Tesla's highly anticipated robotaxi service: I saw an Uber-like app experience, the in-vehicle interface, human supervisors, and miles of Austin streets. While the rides were mostly without incident, I noted a few hiccups from the newly launched autonomous vehicle — and at least one really smart move. After years of delays, Tesla's robotaxis were rolled out in Austin on June 22 to about a dozen invited users. The selected riders agreed to certain terms and are mostly Tesla influencers and shareholders. These early access riders have been livestreaming and posting about their experiences since Sunday. Business Insider reviewed multiple videos posted by riders, and this is what we found so far. User experience The robotaxi ride-hailing app seems straightforward to use and reminiscent of the Uber app, complete with a map, a countdown of how long your wait would be, and even instructions on how to open the Tesla car door (in case you are unfamiliar with its press-and-open handle design). These features are well displayed in a video posted by YouTuber Justin Demaree, who goes by Bearded Tesla Guy on social media. For now, each ride is priced at a $4.20 flat the app may decline a ride due to "high service demand," which happened at least once to Demaree, according to his video. There is a geofence for robotaxis at the moment. Riders cannot go beyond the area that encircles Zilker, South Lamar, South Congress, East Riverside Otorff, and part of the Lakeshore and the Rainey Street Historic District, according to screenshots from Demaree. By comparison, Waymo 's service range is about twice the size in Austin, where it also operates. The early access rides are not human-free. Each robotaxi comes with a human in the front passenger seat to monitor the vehicle. No video that Business Insider has watched so far shows a significant intervention from the human supervisor. Robotaxis vehicles, which are right now the Tesla Model Y, have a rear screen for backseat passengers with a real-time map showing how far you are from the destination. For those with Tesla accounts, riders can also access existing playlists and podcasts from the rear screen. According to Sawyer Merritt, a Tesla investor with early access, the screen also automatically logs you out after you leave the robotaxi for privacy protection. For those curious, Tesla's Robotaxi will automatically log out of all your apps when you exit the vehicle to maintain privacy. When you take your next ride, those apps will be automatically logged in when you enter the vehicle. — Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) June 23, 2025 What it did wrong In a 17-minute ride to the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders in Austin, Rob Maurer, who used to run the "Tesla Podcast," was briefly driven into the opposite lane by a robotaxi. The robotaxi started to signal a left turn a few hundred feet ahead of an intersection, but once at the intersection, it decided against the turn and chose to continue straight instead, according to the video. It crossed the double yellow lines and briefly entered lanes that belonged to cars heading in the opposite direction. The move prompted the car behind it to honk at it, but fortunately, from what can be seen on video, there was no oncoming traffic from the opposite side. During the same ride, the robotaxi also exceeded the 35-mph speed limit on multiple occasions, although most cars around it were also driving above the limit. Separately, some passengers have found that robotaxis make dubious pick-up and drop-off decisions. In a video posted by Demaree, the YouTuber who goes by Bearded Tesla Guy, he and his companion called a robotaxi that chose to pick them up by pulling into a handicapped parking space. In a separate video posted on X, the two riders decided to test out the "pullover" button on the rear screen a block before they reached their destination. The move somehow brought the robotaxi to a stop in the middle of the road, even though it says it would pull over at a safe location. A call to a support agent who picked up within seconds eventually sent the robotaxi back on its way. Tesla RoboTaxi First Public Ride Livestream — Bearded Tesla (@BeardedTesla) June 22, 2025 A spokesperson for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration told BI that the agency is aware of various robotaxi-related incidents and is in contact with Tesla to obtain more information. The agency also said that an investigation into Tesla's FSD-Supervised/Beta remains open. "NHTSA does not pre-approve new technologies or vehicle systems — rather, manufacturers certify that each vehicle meets NHTSA's rigorous safety standards, and the agency investigates incidents involving potential safety defects," the spokesperson wrote. NHTSA looks into all autonomous vehicles, so Tesla is not the only company it is investigating. What it did right From the five videos BI has seen, the robotaxi is generally able to make smooth turns without unnecessary hesitation, and keeps a consistent distance between itself and the car ahead. It also knows how to switch into a lane with fewer cars, brake for swerving cars, and yield on left turns. Despite occasionally exceeding speed limits, videos did not show it exceeding the limits by more than 5 mph, and it could be attempting to keep up with the general speed of other vehicles. Demaree's riding companion said during the ride that he thought the robotaxi's cautiousness when braking at the sight of pedestrians and cyclists had been "cranked up a little bit." The robotaxi braked for a cyclist who would have been in its way had the cyclist not taken a turn in a different direction. In the same video, the robotaxi also managed to get itself out of a sticky situation in a busy grocery store parking lot where the two riders were dropped off. It started out yielding to almost every car, but then the robotaxi asserted itself and was able to get out of the lot. Two nighttime videos also showed notable robotaxi abilities. Unlike Waymo, Tesla's more established rival, robotaxis do not have lidar or radar. The vehicles are equipped with eight cameras and a version of the company's Full-Self Driving software that does not require a human behind the wheel. The FSD version available to Tesla owners is a driver-assistance system that requires a human driver's full attention. There are indeed fewer cars on the road at night, but in both videos, the robotaxi made no critical errors in the low-light situations. In one video posted by a tech influencer, who goes by Chrisbtech on TikTok, the robotaxi pulled over to the right side of the road when an ambulance with sirens blasting approached at full speed. Other drivers — including a human-driven Cybertruck in the next lane — did not pull over. @chrisbtech First Tesla Robotaxi pulling over for an ambulance! ♬ original sound - Chris On Monday, Tesla shares rallied as much as 11% at their peak, before landing at 8% at 4 p.m. ET. The rally, however, did not continue through Tuesday. Tesla, Rob Maurer, Justin Demaree, Sawyer Merrit, and the National Transportation Safety Board did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
Digital Trends
23-06-2025
- Automotive
- Digital Trends
Watch passengers take the first rides in Tesla robotaxis
Tesla kicked off its robotaxi service on Sunday, transporting passengers around Austin, Texas. The automaker shared a bunch of videos taken by riders who recorded some of the first trips. Robotaxi slows down really nice for speed bumps. Extremely smooth stops as well — Zack (@BLKMDL3) June 22, 2025 Here's a quick overview of the Tesla Robotaxi app! — Rob Maurer (@TeslaPodcast) June 22, 2025 Tesla has 10 self-driving Model Y electric cars on the roads of the city, and for now each one has a so-called 'Tesla Safety Monitor' sitting in the front passenger seat, while the driver's seat stays empty. The vehicles are also being monitored remotely by Tesla personnel. Recommended Videos Riders can call a Tesla robotaxi using the new Robotaxi App. Videos shared by the first invitation-only riders show a rear-seat tablet displaying a map and the amount of time left until the vehicle is expected to reach the selected destination. An email sent recently to the first riders describes the terms of the service. The message notes that the autonomous rides will take place within a geofenced area in Austin, with a map of the available riding area shown inside the app. Rides can be taken between 6 a.m. and midnight throughout the week. 'While the Early Access phase is invitation-only, you are permitted to bring up to one additional guest, so long as they are 18+ and you remain present with them for the duration of the ride,' the email said. It added that Tesla's robotaxi service may be limited or unavailable during poor weather, which presumably means conditions such as heavy rain or fog. Tesla has yet to launch the futuristic Cybercab robotaxi, which it unveiled at a special event last year. The Cybercab comes without a steering wheel and pedals, but it could be a while before the vehicle becomes part of Tesla's robotaxi service. In Austin, Tesla's robotaxis are riding alongside other autonomous vehicles operated by Alphabet-owned Waymo and Amazon-owned Zoox. Both have been testing their self-driving cars on the city's roads for some time, with Waymo offering rides to paying customers. If you're interested in taking a ride in a Tesla robotaxi when it comes to your city, you can sign up on Tesla's website.
