Tesla’s plan to launch its first fleet of fully driverless robotaxis in Austin may not happen on June 22, as several Texas lawmakers have asked the company to delay the rollout until new state regulations regarding autonomous vehicles take effect later this year.
According to a letter sent Wednesday by a group of Democratic lawmakers representing the Austin area, Tesla should postpone the launch until Texas’ updated autonomous vehicle law becomes enforceable on September 1, 2025. The legislators argue that a delay would serve public safety interests and help build trust in Tesla’s expanding autonomous vehicle operations.
The new legislation, passed earlier this year, updates the state’s 2017 framework for autonomous vehicles. It will require companies operating commercial driverless vehicles to obtain approval from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and meet a series of requirements before transporting passengers or goods without a human driver.
Among the key requirements:
- Vehicles must comply with all state traffic laws and federal safety standards
- They must be equipped with data recorders and capable of safely stopping if the autonomous system fails
- Companies must submit a First Responder Interaction Plan to the Department of Public Safety detailing how to manage emergency scenarios
“If [Elon Musk] can show us all of those things, that would bring a level of comfort,” said State Representative Vikki Goodwin, who helped author the letter. “We just want to make sure our community is as safe as possible when they launch these new robotaxis.”
Tesla has already begun testing its driverless vehicles on public roads in Austin. CEO Elon Musk posted on social media last week that the company has been operating autonomous Model Y vehicles—with no one in the driver’s seat—for several days without incident.
Since then, Tesla Model Ys have been spotted driving around Austin no one behind the steering wheel, but with an employee sitting in the passenger seat, who has the ability to stop the vehicle or have it pull over if necessary.
BREAKING!!! Spotted another Tesla Robotaxi with @JohnChr08117285 today in Austin! It’s happening!!!@SawyerMerritt @WholeMarsBlog pic.twitter.com/3a33ULwEU2
— Muzeïshen (@Muzeishen) June 18, 2025
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has also requested a formal explanation from Tesla about its robotaxi program, with a deadline to respond by June 19. The agency’s inquiry focuses on how the vehicles will handle crashes, low-visibility conditions, and emergency scenarios.
Here is a full copy of the letter.
