synopsis

Tesla must respond to the regulator’s queries by June 19, failing which it could be subject to civil penalties.

U.S. auto safety regulator National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has sought information from EV giant Tesla Inc. (TSLA) ahead of its planned robotaxi launch in Texas.

In a letter addressed to Eddie Gates, Tesla's Director of Field Quality, and made public on Monday, the regulator sought information, including the number of robotaxis that would be deployed at the start of robotaxi operations and the number of vehicles expected to be deployed within the next 24 months.

NHTSA also sought an expected timetable for the robotaxis' availability to the public, the locations the vehicles are anticipated to operate in, and details on how the company will supervise or monitor the vehicles in real time.

The regulator raised doubts about whether the driving automation system that will be used for the robotaxis is related to Tesla’s existing FSD technology and sought details on how the company plans to determine whether its robotaxi system has achieved acceptably safe behavior.

It also sought a design from Tesla on how to approach emergency scenarios, such as crash detection, vehicle interactions with first responders, and more.

Tesla must respond to the regulator’s queries by June 19, failing which it could be subject to civil penalties.

The NHTSA also highlighted its ongoing investigation into the FSD technology. The probe, which covers 2.4 million Tesla vehicles, was opened in October following reports of the vehicle experiencing a crash in reduced visibility conditions when FSD is engaged.

The regulator then said it had identified four crash reports in which a Tesla experienced a crash after entering an area of “reduced roadway visibility” with FSD engaged. It said the reduced visibility was caused by sun glare, fog, or airborne dust.

In one of the crashes, the vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian, the regulator added.

Tesla is eyeing a pilot launch of its robotaxis in Austin by June. The company said it will initially deploy its Model Y SUVs equipped with FSD as Robotaxis until later, when it starts producing its dedicated robotaxi product called Cybercab, which has no pedals and only two seats. Cybercab is expected to go into production only in 2026.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said last month during the first quarter earnings call that the company is still considering the number of vehicles to deploy in Austin. “...maybe 10 or 20 vehicles on day one,” Musk said.

The Tesla CEO added that the company intends to deploy Robotaxis in other U.S. cities by the year's end. However, the FSD software has yet to enable autonomous driving and requires active supervision.

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around Tesla stock remained unmoved within the ‘extremely bullish’ territory over the past 24 hours while message volume remained at ‘low’ levels.

TSLA's Sentiment Meter and Message Volume as of 1:57 p.m. ET on May 12, 2025 | Source: Stocktwits

TSLA stock has been down by about 16% this year but has gained by about 84% over the past 12 months.

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