On Wednesday, June 18, lawmakers from both the Texas House and Senate came together to sign a letter urging Tesla to delay its robotaxi launch until September. This postponement would align with the rollout of new autonomous driving regulations. These regulations will require driverless cars to be registered, meet specific safety standards, have recording devices, and include plans for how to interact with first responders.
Tesla is currently set to launch on June 22, but lawmakers indicated that the company could move forward if it demonstrates compliance with the new regulations. State Senator Sarah Eckhardt highlighted that these rules are designed to bolster public trust in the safety of autonomous vehicles.
Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, mentioned that the company has been testing its self-driving cars in Austin and plans to start with a small fleet of about 10 vehicles, operating only in the safest parts of the city. Musk reassured that Tesla is being “super paranoid about safety” and is open to adjusting the launch date if necessary.
However, critics are still worried. A recent test by The Dawn Project revealed that a Tesla Model Y failed to stop for a school bus sign and collided with child-sized dummies. Additionally, the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration is currently investigating Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software.