- Texas regulatory data shows Tesla has just 42 authorized driverless vehicles in the state, dwarfed by Waymo‘s fleet of 577.
- A Reuters investigation cited former employees who said FSD tech continues to struggle with emergency vehicles, school buses, and pedestrians.
- The report noted 17 known incidents involving Tesla’s Austin robotaxi fleet between July 2025 and April 2026, with two causing minor injuries.
Fresh data and a scathing report have cast a shadow over Tesla‘s autonomous vehicle ambitions, revealing its robotaxi fleet is a fraction of competitors’ size while former employees question the safety of its Full Self-Driving technology. Tesla shares slipped 1% in overnight trading ahead of Friday following these revelations. However, the stock had climbed 0.4% on Thursday to close at $442.1, positioning it for a second weekly gain.
Texas registration data filed under new autonomous vehicle rules provides the clearest look yet at the company’s scaled-down operation. The figures show Tesla has 42 authorized driverless vehicles, compared with 577 for Alphabet-owned Waymo, 317 for Avride, and 35 for Amazon-backed Zoox. Consequently, Tesla‘s presence remains far smaller than its rivals’ across major Texas cities.
Meanwhile, a Reuters investigation detailed concerns from former data labelers and engineers. They reportedly said the FSD software continued to struggle with specific scenarios like emergency vehicles and school buses. One former labeler stated they would not trust FSD because “we have all seen it fail,” while another declared they would not ride in a Tesla robotaxi “if you [expletive] paid me.”
The report also linked Tesla’s Austin robotaxi fleet to 17 known incidents between July 2025 and April 2026, including two involving minor injuries. In contrast, CEO Elon Musk recently shared a video on X showing a Cybercab navigating autonomously. Tesla AI lead Ashok Elluswamy said on X these vehicles would soon be driving into Austin for service.
Furthermore, Tesla’s safety claims are facing scrutiny from experts who challenge the company’s methodology. Traffic-safety researcher Phil Koopman likened the comparison to saying “‘My jet airplane is faster than your World War II bomber.'” The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also maintains active investigations into Autopilot and FSD-related incidents.
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