Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) was on Wednesday asked to delay its plans to begin robotaxi operations in Austin, Texas, by a group of Democratic Texas lawmakers over a new autonomous-driving law.
In a letter addressed to Eddie Gates, Tesla director of field quality, a group of seven representatives asked the company to delay its robotaxi launch until the new law takes effect in September.
CEO Elon Musk said the service will begin operations tentatively by Sunday, June 22, with about 10 vehicles operating in select areas of Austin.
In the letter, Democratic lawmakers stated that the new autonomous vehicle laws outlined more safety requirements for the industry, and that if Tesla opted to proceed with its June 22 launch, the company should provide detailed information on how it plans to comply with the new law.
“As members of the Austin delegation in the Texas Senate and Texas House of Representatives, we are formally requesting that Tesla delay autonomous robotaxi operations until the new law takes effect on September 1, 2025,” the letter said.
“We believe this is in the best interest of both public safety and building public trust in Tesla’s operations.”
Still, it was unclear how much weight the request carries, given that Republicans hold the majority in both of Texas’ legislative houses.
Current Texas law allows robotaxi vehicles to operate their vehicles anywhere in the state, as long as they meet basic registration and insurance requirements.
