A cohort of Democratic lawmakers from Texas has formally requested that Tesla postpone the highly anticipated launch of its robotaxi service in Austin.
The legislators are urging the electric vehicle giant to delay the rollout until September, when a new state law governing autonomous driving is scheduled to come into effect, citing concerns over public safety and the need to build public trust.
In a letter sent on Wednesday, the group of Austin-area lawmakers argued that delaying the launch, which Tesla CEO Elon Musk had “tentatively” suggested could happen as early as this Sunday, “is in the best interest of both public safety and building public trust in Tesla’s operations.”
They emphasized the importance of aligning the robotaxi service with the forthcoming state regulations.
Should Tesla decide to proceed with its launch this month, thereby predating the new law, the lawmakers have asked the company to provide “detailed information” demonstrating precisely how Tesla intends to comply with the new state legislation once it is operational.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawmakers’ letter.
This request comes at a pivotal moment for Tesla.
Last year, Elon Musk publicly staked the company’s future heavily on the success of its autonomous-driving technology, signaling a strategic pivot away from solely chasing rapid growth in electric-vehicle sales.
The impending Austin robotaxi rollout has been under intense scrutiny from investors and analysts, many of whom attribute a significant portion of Tesla’s stock market valuation to the high hopes pinned on its yet-to-be-delivered robotaxi services and humanoid robots.
Navigating a shifting legal landscape in Texas
The political and legal context for this request is noteworthy.
It remains unclear how much influence a letter from Democratic lawmakers will exert in Texas, a state where Republicans control the governorship and hold majorities in both legislative chambers.
Under current Texas law, autonomous-vehicle companies are permitted to operate their vehicles anywhere in the state, provided the vehicles meet basic registration and insurance requirements.
However, new legislation, which successfully passed the Texas legislature last month but has not yet been signed by the governor, is set to change this landscape.
This new law would, for the first time, require autonomous-vehicle companies to apply for specific authorization to operate within the state.
Crucially, the new legislation would grant state authorities the power to revoke permits if they deem a driverless vehicle to be one that “endangers the public.”
Furthermore, companies like Tesla would be required to provide the state with comprehensive information on how police and first responders can effectively interact with and manage these autonomous vehicles in emergency situations.
Scant details on Tesla’s Robotaxi blueprint
Elon Musk first announced in January that Tesla would be offering “autonomous ride-hailing for money in Austin, in June.” Since that pronouncement, details about the planned Austin robotaxi launch have been sparse.
Musk has indicated that the initial rollout would begin with a small fleet of 10 or 20 Model Y vehicles and that the company would initially operate in “only the parts of Austin that we consider to be the safest.”
However, key operational details—such as who the initial passengers will be, how Tesla will charge for rides, the specific areas of Austin where the service will operate, and the extent of remote monitoring and operation of the vehicles—have not yet been disclosed by Musk or Tesla.
This lack of transparency likely contributes to the lawmakers’ call for a more cautious and legally aligned approach.
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