Traffic safety watchdog looking into erratic driving by Tesla robotaxis
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating Tesla after incidents involving the electric car maker's robotaxis were caught on camera this weekend during a pilot in Austin, Texas.
NHTSA, which operates under the Department of Transportation and regulates automobile safety, said it contacted Tesla after videos surfaced showing instances of the company's self-driving taxi driving down the wrong side of the road and braking erratically.
"NHTSA is aware of the referenced incidents and is in contact with the manufacturer to gather additional information," the agency said in a statement. "Following an assessment of those reports and other relevant information, NHTSA will take any necessary actions to protect road safety."
In one video posted on social media, a Tesla enters a lane marked on the roadway as being for left turns only, but then goes straight through the intersection and enters an opposing lane for 10 second before swerving several times.
The passenger in the car who posted the video, money manager Rob Maurer, minimized the seriousness of the incident. "There are no vehicles anywhere in sight, so this wasn't a safety issue," Maurer said in commentary accompanying his video. "I didn't feel uncomfortable in the situation."
Another video appears to show a robotaxi stopping twice suddenly in the middle of the road, possibly responding to the flashing lights of police cars.
The vehicles were part of a test in Austin of Tesla's Model Y robotaxis. Tesla investors and social media influencers who were invited to participate posted videos on social media over the weekend describing their experience.
The incidents could raise questions about the safety of the cars. Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk said in an April earnings call that he expects millions of Tesla's self-driving cars to be on the road by the second half of 2026.
But Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives, who is bullish on Tesla's future and the market opportunity for its robotaxis, sees such issues as the inevitable growing pains involved in deploying new technology.
"Any issues they encounter will be fixed," Ives told the Associated Press, calling the Austin test a "huge success."
Tesla did not immediately respond to CBS MoneyWatch's request for comment.
Musk has said the company's autonomous cars are safer than human-driven vehicles. On a January earnings call, the tech billionaire claimed the safety of the general public and robotaxis' passengers is a "top priority."
The probe into Tesla's robotaxis comes after the NHTSA in October launched an investigation into Tesla's "Full Self-Driving" technology after four of its vehicles were involved in crashes. At the time, Tesla was forced a recall 2.4 million of its vehicles.
Tesla was sued on Tuesday by the estates of three people who were killed during a crash last September involving one of the company's Model S cars, according to Reuters.
AFP and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Mary Cunningham is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. Before joining the business and finance vertical, she worked at "60 Minutes," CBSNews.com and CBS News 24/7 as part of the CBS News Associate Program.
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