Tesla is gearing up to test its new robot taxi service in Austin, Texas, with Elon Musk announcing that a few vehicles will hit the city streets on Sunday.

Despite the technology being unveiled months ago, its roll-out has been postponed, with Tesla revealing only a handful of details.

The service will initially involve fewer than a dozen vehicles and, according to Musk, will be restricted to specific neighborhoods. The first phase might be limited to company employees and guests. Musk himself has suggested that the roll-out will proceed cautiously: “We’ll start with 10 vehicles for a week, then 20, 30, 40,” he disclosed to CNBC in May.

It’s anticipated that the vehicles will be remotely monitored, but it’s unclear if there will be a safety driver onboard, as is customary with other autonomous driving companies during the initial testing phase in new cities.

Regulatory Hurdles and Reactions

The pilot has not flown under the radar. Texas lawmakers have urged Tesla to postpone the launch until new related legislation comes into effect in September.

Despite Democrats voicing concerns over security and lack of oversight, it is deemed unlikely that any restrictions will be enforced as the House is currently under Republican control.

In the meantime, the federal agency NHTSA has posed questions to Tesla regarding the operation of the new service, such as contingency plans in case of failures and measures to be taken during adverse weather conditions. Tesla has responded, with the agency currently evaluating the responses.

Past issues with software

Tesla is already under scrutiny due to multiple investigations and lawsuits related to its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software, which serves as the foundation for the robotic cars. The Washington Post has reported at least 17 fatalities and five serious injuries linked to the technology. NHTSA is probing dozens of accidents, some of which are attributed to operational issues in conditions like glare, fog, or dust.

Musk has announced plans for Tesla to deploy 1,000 robotaxis in Austin in the coming months, with subsequent expansion to other cities in Texas and California.

Information sourced from The Guardian

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