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Title: Tesla's first robotaxi rides are already running into a few bumps

Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2025 20:53:08 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/transportation/tesla...

Tesla launched its robotaxi service over the weekend, with only a small
number of cars and heavy human supervision on and off the road. While less
impressive than previously promised, the company's caution ultimately seems
for the best ΓÇö at least one robotaxi attempted to drive on the wrong side
of the road, based on a video posted to X and spotted by Bloomberg.

The ride video shared by Rob Maurer is largely uneventful, with the Tesla
navigating turns and lane merges with few issues. Except for around seven
minutes or so into the ride, when the Tesla's wheel starts jerking back and
forth and the car briefly crosses onto the wrong side of the road. As
Bloomberg notes, "a honking horn can be heard as the Tesla re-enters the
correct lane over a double-yellow line, which drivers arenΓÇÖt supposed to
cross."

HereΓÇÖs my entire first Tesla Robotaxi trip from start to finish. Ten miles
across south Austin. Timestamps in comments. pic.twitter.com/cr6y4z1UWB

ΓÇö Rob Maurer (@TeslaPodcast) June 22, 2025

The Tesla may have corrected itself on its own or under the influence of
someone monitoring the ride remotely, but the in-car supervisor didn't appear
to do anything. That's not the only instance of potentially unsafe driving
Bloomberg spotted. Early riders have shared multiple instances of robotaxis
going over the speed limit, though that might be more of a reflection of the
cars driving around Tesla's vehicles than their collective need for speed.
Waymo, which also operates in Austin, strictly follows the posted speed limit
as a rule.

Tesla's Full Self-Driving system has been heavily criticized in anticipation
of the company's robotaxi launch and the eventual introduction of its
Cybercab, which doesn't have a steering wheel. Earlier in June, The Dawn
Project staged a demonstration showing a self-driving Tesla plowing through
child-sized mannequins eight times in a row. The company's Full Self-Driving
system is also currently being investigated by the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration over its involvement in four different crashes.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/transportation/tesla...
already-running-into-a-few-bumps-205308245.html?src=rss

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