Texas lawmakers have formally asked Tesla to delay the company's planned launch of a robo-taxi in Austin by several months, Electrek reports.
This request is prompted by the implementation of a new law that will come into force in September. Under it, a self-driving car must:
- Be able to operate in accordance with state traffic regulations;
- be equipped with a recording device;
- comply with federal law, including federal vehicle safety standards;
- be able to achieve minimal risk if the automated driving system is disabled;
- be registered, owned and insured under Texas law.
"As members of the Austin delegation in the Texas Senate and Texas House of Representatives, we are formally requesting that Tesla delay autonomous robotaxi operations until the new law takes effect on September I, 2025. We believe this is in the best interest of both public safety and building public trust in Tesla’s operations," the lawmakers said in a letter.
The letter further states that if Tesla does decide to launch a robotaxi service in June 2025, lawmakers want a response with detailed information that will include confirmation that the company will comply with the new legislation once it takes effect.
We remind you that Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in late May that Texas was already successfully testing a fully autonomous robotaxi with a new version of Full Self-Driving (FSD). He later announced the launch of the service on June 22, but even then noted that it could be postponed due to safety concerns.