Tesla Robotaxi Makes Contact with Parked Car in Austin

One of Tesla's autonomous robotaxis made contact with a parked car after completing a ride in Austin, Texas.

In a video recorded by a YouTuber, a self-driving Model Y is observed turning and accelerating into a Toyota, making contact with its tire. The Model Y had already dropped off its passenger and experienced difficulty navigating out of a dark alleyway. Tesla's robotaxi service began operating in Austin two weeks prior with a small fleet.

According to the video creator, there were no significant injuries or damages, and the robotaxi's safety monitor subsequently took control of the vehicle and drove away. The reason for the vehicle's contact with the parked car after completing the ride is not clear.

Other individuals invited to use Tesla's robotaxi service have reported additional experiences. These include the robotaxi stopping for emergency lights that were not on the road and briefly driving on the opposite side of a double yellow line. Tesla's self-driving software primarily uses cameras and artificial intelligence, which differs from some competitors, such as Waymo, that use cameras, lidar, and radar. Waymo has also experienced incidents, including a voluntary recall of its fleet in Phoenix, Arizona, after a collision with a telephone pole in the previous year. More recently, Waymo issued another recall for its robotaxis due to reports of vehicles making contact with roadway barriers that are less visible.