As Tesla moves closer to launching its pilot robotaxi service in Austin, Texas—tentatively set for June 22—a chorus of dissent is growing among safety advocates, tech watchdogs, and local residents. Their concerns span beyond the technological capabilities of the vehicles and delve into the political affiliations of CEO Elon Musk and what they describe as a troubling lack of public accountability.
Protesters Take to the Streets Over Safety and Political Ties
On Thursday, a coalition of groups including the Dawn Project, Tesla Takedown, and Resist Austin organized a demonstration in downtown Austin. The protest was aimed at raising awareness about what they believe are serious safety flaws in Tesla’s autonomous vehicle systems, as well as broader concerns about Musk’s reported alignment with former President Donald Trump and the current U.S. political landscape.
Stephanie Gomez, a local resident who joined the protest, voiced apprehension not just about the self-driving technology but also about Musk’s expanding influence in political circles. “There’s no transparency. We don’t know how these robotaxis are supposed to function, and that’s alarming,” she said.
Demonstration Highlights Alleged Dangers of FSD Software
The Dawn Project—a group that promotes tech safety and is led by Dan O'Dowd, a software executive and Tesla critic—staged a live demonstration using a Tesla Model Y equipped with Full Self-Driving (FSD) software version 13.2.9. During the test, the vehicle allegedly failed to stop for a school bus displaying a stop sign and struck a child-sized mannequin placed on the road.
The display, which shocked onlookers, was intended to highlight the potential risks of releasing the robotaxi fleet without extensive public testing and regulatory oversight. Though Tesla's Full Self-Driving software offers features such as automated lane-keeping, steering, and parking, it has not been approved for fully autonomous operation and is not available in its "unsupervised" form to the public.
According to U.S. federal data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Tesla’s driver-assistance technologies have been involved in hundreds of crashes, some of which have resulted in fatalities.
Broader Concerns About Regulation and Corporate Responsibility
Silvia Revelis, another protester at the Austin event, emphasized the lack of safety data made available to the public. “Citizens have not been able to get safety testing results,” she said. “Musk believes he’s above the law.”
The critique of Tesla’s perceived lack of transparency has intensified as the company continues to push boundaries in automated driving. Critics argue that without regulatory mandates requiring public disclosure of test results or independent evaluations, consumers and residents are left in the dark about the true safety of these technologies.
Tesla Silent Amid Mounting Scrutiny
Despite the growing backlash and requests for clarity, Tesla has not issued a response to concerns raised by the protesters or to media inquiries regarding the Austin launch. Meanwhile, anticipation builds as June 22 approaches—bringing with it not only a potential leap in transportation technology but also heightened scrutiny over its safety, legality, and societal impact.