Texas lawmakers have asked Tesla to delay the launch of its Robotaxi service in Austin for a few months, citing the implementation of a newly enacted law as the reason.
A stroke of luck for entrepreneur Elon Musk.
Tesla has reportedly revised its timeline for launching Robotaxi, initially planned to debut in Austin, Texas, with the new target date set as “tentatively” June 22, marking a shift from the original schedule.
Elon Musk had previously downplayed the significance of Tesla’s latest autonomous driving announcement, describing it as “probably not self-driving.” Nevertheless, the CEO is leveraging this technology as a way to claim victory in the realm of autonomous driving, following years of missed deadlines and unfulfilled promises.
Since last year, Musk has repeatedly hinted at launching the service in Austin this summer. Over the preceding couple of months, indications pointed to a possible event in June, with the June 22nd date being officially confirmed just last week.
To claim victory, Tesla must deliver on schedule, a crucial consideration given the company’s autonomous driving ambitions and the looming deadline.
Undeterred by legislative hurdles, Texas officials have effectively granted Tesla a loophole.
Seven Austin-based lawmakers from the Texas Senate and House have penned a joint letter to Tesla, requesting a September launch date delay.
As members of the Austin delegation in the Texas Senate and House of Representatives, we formally request that Tesla delay autonomous robotaxi operations until the newly enacted legislation takes effect on September 1, 2025. It is crucial to foster transparency in our public communications regarding safety protocols and construction processes within Tesla’s operations to maintain public trust. We respectfully request confirmation that, should Tesla choose to move forward with its planned June 22, 2025, launch date for autonomous operations in Austin, you will provide us with comprehensive information demonstrating compliance with the newly enacted regulations governing such endeavors at the time of deployment.
Texas has traditionally maintained a relatively light regulatory environment for autonomous vehicles, with only a few existing laws governing their use. Notwithstanding this, the proposal also lays out requirements for adhering to federal guidelines, with the latest version referencing SAE’s autonomous driving standards.
It seems that lawmakers are effectively mandating a temporary postponement of Tesla’s planned release. Can they temporarily postpone their request until our newly established infrastructure is fully operational?
Here is the improved text in a different style:
The following is the full letter from the Texas lawmakers:
Electrek’s Take
The innovative technology appears to be a game-changer for Tesla and its visionary CEO Elon Musk. Despite the significantly reduced ambitions of this system compared to Tesla’s long-promised goals, it appears that Tesla is struggling to deliver on its commitments.
As previously disclosed, testing without a security driver appears limited due to sighting constraints, suggesting Tesla has simply repositioned the “security driver” to the passenger seat, equipped with a kill switch for optimal surveillance.
Now, Tesla can plausibly assert that it must delay the launch to appease regulatory bodies rather than because it’s unprepared.
NHTSA has set a timely deadline for Tesla to address a plethora of questions regarding its planned Robotaxi launch in Austin, with an immediate response now expected. This proposal would also serve to further a specific objective.
Will Tesla take a bold step forward or opt for caution? May they decide to remove it for everyone’s benefit.
