Tesla Robotaxi Challenges
Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) announced it will begin production of its Cybercab in June 2024, but the company is facing significant challenges with its robotaxi fleet. In Austin, Texas, Tesla reported five additional crashes involving its robotaxi operations, raising the total to 14 crashes since launching in June 2023. Notably, the crash rate stands at approximately one incident every 57,000 miles, which is four to eight times higher than the average collision rates for American drivers.
As of now, Tesla operates around 42 robotaxis in Austin, with fewer than 20% available during operational hours, far from the initially projected 500 robotaxis by the end of 2025. In California, the company is embroiled in regulatory disputes, arguing that its robotaxi operations should be exempt from certain autonomous vehicle regulations while also opposing Waymo’s proposal restricting their marketing terminology.
