Tesla deployed a small group of autonomous taxis on Sunday carrying paid passengers to Austin, Texas. CEO Elon Musk announced the “launch of the Robotaxi” while several influencers shared videos on social networks on the social networks.
The event marks the first time that Tesla vehicles, without human driver, transport paid customers – an advance that Musk considers crucial for the financial future of the electric car manufacturer.
On its X platform, Musk described this moment as a “culmination of a hard work decade” and stressed that “the IA flea and software teams were created from scratch within Tesla”.
Tesla were seen early Sunday in the South Congress district, in Austin, without anyone behind the wheel but with a passenger at the front. The manufacturer has planned a limited test with a dozen vehicles and front passengers playing the role of “safety supervisors”, although it remains uncertain to what extent they can control cars.
In recent days, Tesla has invited a limited group of influencers to participate in a carefully framed Robotaxi test, in a demarcated area. The races are offered at a flat rate of $ 4.20, said Musk on X.
Tesla investor and personality of social networks Sawyer Merritt published videos on X on Sunday afternoon, showing him, being recovered and then driven to a neighboring bar-restaurant, Frazier’s Long and Low, via the Robotaxi Tesla application.
If Tesla succeeds in carrying out this limited deployment, the manufacturer will however have to take up important challenges to keep Musk’s promise of a large -scale passage in Austin and other cities, warn experts in the sector.
According to Philip Koopman, professor of computer engineering at Carnegie Mellon University and a specialist in autonomous vehicles, it might have been needed years, even decades, in Tesla and its competitors like Waymo (alphabet subsidiary), to fully develop a Robotaxi industry.
A successful test for Austin for Tesla, he believes, would be “the end of the beginning-and not the beginning of the end”.
Tesla’s stratospheric stock market valuation is now largely based on its ability to market Robotaxis and humanoid robots, according to many analysts. Tesla remains by far the most valued car manufacturer in the world.
As the Robotaxis Tesla is launching, Texan legislators have adopted new rules on autonomous vehicles. Friday, the republican governor Greg Abbott signed a law imposing a state permit to operate vehicles without driver.
The law, which will come into force on September 1, shows that Texan officials, of all political stripes, want the autonomous vehicle industry to increase with caution.
Tesla did not respond to media requests. The governor’s office also refused to comment.
“Easy to get, easy to lose”
The new legislation softens the historically anti-regulation of Texas in terms of autonomous vehicles. A law of 2017 explicitly prohibited cities from regulating driver -free cars.
Now, autonomous vehicle operators will have to obtain the approval of the Texas engine vehicle department before traveling on the public road without human driver. The authorities will be able to withdraw the permit to any operator deemed dangerous for the public.
The law also requires companies to provide information on how first aid must intervene in an emergency involving their autonomous vehicles.
The requirements to obtain an operating permit for an “automated motorized vehicle” are not binding but oblige companies to attest that their vehicles can circulate legally and safely.
An automated vehicle is defined as having at least one capacity for autonomy of “level 4” according to a recognized standard, that is to say that can run without human driver under specified conditions. Level 5, the highest, corresponds to total autonomy, whatever the conditions.
Compliance remains much simpler than elsewhere, especially in California, where test data under state supervision must be transmitted.
Bryant Walker Smith, professor of law at the University of South Carolina and a specialist in autonomous driving, believes that in Texas, any company fulfilling the minimum conditions can obtain a permit – but may also lose it if problems arise.
“In California, permits are difficult to obtain, easy to lose,” he explains. “In Texas, they are easy to obtain and easy to lose. »»
Musk’s commitments on security
The launch of the Robotaxis Tesla occurs after more than ten years of Musk’s uninformed promises concerning autonomous driving.
Musk said Tesla would be “ultra-paranoid” as to the safety of Robotaxis in Austin, notably by limiting their deployment to certain areas.
The service in Austin will indeed be subject to other restrictions: Tesla plans to avoid poor weather conditions, complex intersections, and not to transport passengers under the age of 18.
The marketing of autonomous vehicles has proven to be risky and expensive. Cruise (a subsidiary of GM) was suspended after a serious accident. The regulators closely monitor Tesla and its competitors, Waymo and Zoox (Amazon).
Tesla also stands out from the young industry by using only cameras for the perception of the road, while most competitors rely on a combination of technologies. Musk assures that this approach will be safe and much less expensive than Lidar and Radar systems adopted by others.
