Tesla robotaxis: security worries and driving problems raise questions!

Tesla robotaxis: security worries and driving problems raise questions!

The exciting world of autonomous mobility has reached a new milestone with the start of Teslas Robotaxis in Austin, Texas. On June 22nd, the service for a hand-picked group of Tesla influencers and investors was launched. But while the first trips were expected, the reality was not quite as smooth. Videos from the trips show some explosive problems: robotaxis that drive over 10 miles per hour too fast, get into the wrong track or brake abruptly in the middle of the street. In addition, a human safety monitor is clamped on the trips to intervene if necessary. This underlines the concerns about the security of the service, which are shared by many experts.

The challenges are not trivial. The robotaxis are based on a further developed version of Full Self-Driving (FSD) software and use a system of eight cameras for a 360 ° view. Radar and Lidar are missing - what makes experts like Raj Rajkumar skeptical of Carnegie Mellon University. This camera-allin strategy can lead to dangerous situations such as "phantom brakes", which could indicate design errors. Steven Shladover from UC Berkeley warns that a combination of different sensor data is essential for safe automated driving.

The security in focus

Against the background of these concerns, the Robotaxi program is not entirely without controversy. As reported opentools.ai, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has initiated an examination for possible traffic violations and security protocols Reason to go. The excitement associated with the start of the program has now subsided. After the NHTSA examination became known, Tesla's share price fell, which indicates that investors are concerned.

It is remarkable that other companies such as Waymo, which already offered a similar service in March, had fewer problems in the introduction of their robotaxis. The comparison with competitors tightens public and media control over Tesla and raises the question of whether the company remains behind the competition. Although the service seems to work smoothly in its initial phase - so far there are no public reports on accidents - it remains to be seen what the general security situation will look like in the coming months

the look ahead

Although the first offer is still indefinite for the public, the price for a trip is $ 4.20. This could be an attractive offer for many technology enthusiasts, but the uncertainties about technology and the associated security concerns throw a shadow on enthusiasm. According to WIRED, the inclusion of a security monitor is also strengthening security, but also shows that Tesla is not yet ready for the final step into complete autonomy.

With an estimated market value of around 990 billion USD, Tesla remains the most valuable automobile manufacturer in the world, but a decline in global sales of 13 % in the last quarter shows that the challenge of regaining the trust of consumers and investors is great. The way to complete autonomous mobility is still a rocky one, and the outcome of the NHTSA examination will be crucial for Tesla's future strategies in the field of self-driving vehicles.