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Protests Erupt Ahead of Tesla’s Robotaxi Debut in Austin

As Tesla gears up to debut its autonomous robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, on June 22, the backlash is growing. Protesters gathered in downtown Austin on Thursday, voicing strong concerns over public safety, transparency, and Elon Musk’s political involvement, particularly his ties with former President Donald Trump.

The pilot project, built around Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software and a modified version of the Model Y, is being marketed as a major leap forward in the company’s autonomous vehicle ambitions. But critics argue the technology is far from ready — and potentially dangerous.

What Are the Protesters Concerned About?

Safety First: The Automation Gap

The protest drew members from advocacy groups including The Dawn Project, Tesla Takedown, and Resist Austin, who say the company’s semi-autonomous driving software has a history of safety issues. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Tesla vehicles using Autopilot or FSD features have been involved in over 1,000 crashes, including dozens of fatalities, since the systems began rolling out.

Tesla currently sells its vehicles with either:

• Autopilot (standard), which enables lane centering and adaptive cruise control, or
• Full Self-Driving (FSD) (optional), which adds features like automatic lane changes, parking, and traffic light recognition.

However, even the latest versions require driver supervision, and the “unsupervised” version that Tesla aims to deploy in robotaxis is not yet approved for public use.

Demonstration Turns Dramatic: A Cautionary Test

At Thursday’s demonstration, The Dawn Project presented a real-world test using a Tesla Model Y running FSD version 13.2.9. During the demo, the vehicle reportedly failed to stop for a school bus with an extended stop sign, and even more alarmingly, ran over a child-sized mannequin that was used to simulate a pedestrian crossing.

Who’s Behind the Demo?

The Dawn Project is led by Dan O’Dowd, a longtime software executive whose other company, Green Hills Software, supplies safety-critical systems to Tesla rivals like Ford and Toyota. Critics have accused him of having a conflict of interest, but O’Dowd argues that his mission is simple: prevent unsafe software from reaching public roads.

Broader Criticisms of Musk’s Influence

For many protesters, the concerns go beyond technology.

“I don’t trust Musk,” said Stephanie Gomez, one of the demonstrators. “The way he’s embedded himself in politics — especially with Trump — worries me. And when it comes to Tesla, there’s no real transparency. We don’t know how these robotaxis are going to operate.”

Another protester, Silvia Revelis, echoed those sentiments, focusing squarely on safety.

“We still haven’t seen safety testing results made public,” she said. “It’s like Musk thinks Tesla doesn’t have to follow the same rules as everyone else.”

The Bigger Picture: Tesla’s High-Stakes Push into Autonomy

Elon Musk has long touted autonomous driving as Tesla’s future. During shareholder meetings and tech showcases, he’s claimed that robotaxis could transform the economics of car ownership, letting people earn income by letting their Teslas operate autonomously when not in use.

But the regulatory landscape is murky. The NHTSA and California DMV have ongoing investigations into Tesla’s marketing and deployment of its self-driving features. Critics argue that Musk often overstates the capabilities of FSD, creating confusion among both consumers and regulators.

While other companies like Waymo and Cruise have adopted more cautious approaches — operating in limited geofenced areas with clear oversight — Tesla’s model relies on over-the-air software updates, and what some describe as a "beta test on public roads."

What's Next?

Despite public protests and growing scrutiny, Musk has given no indication of delaying the robotaxi rollout in Austin. Tesla has remained silent in response to media inquiries about the protests or the specific safety concerns raised.

As of now, the June 22 launch appears to be moving forward, but tensions between Tesla, regulators, and the public are likely to intensify — especially if the pilot encounters problems.

Final Thoughts

Tesla’s robotaxi program is a high-stakes bet on the future of autonomous vehicles. But as the Austin protests show, that future may be harder to sell without transparency, third-party validation, and trust.

For Tesla, which has staked billions on this vision, the pressure is on — not just to innovate, but to convince the public that innovation won’t come at the cost of safety.