Tesla’s Robotaxis appeared to violate local traffic laws by exceeding the speed limit and swerving into the wrong lane – even as Elon Musk touted a “successful” launch of his long-delayed self-driving vehicles and shares popped as much as 11% Monday.
In one video posted by investor Rob Maurer, a Robotaxi appeared to struggle navigating a left-turn-only lane, briefly crossing over a double yellow line before returning to the proper lane. A human motorist honked at the Robotaxi during the glitch.
Meanwhile, Tesla investor and superfan Sawyer Merritt posted a video from his Robotaxi ride in which the driverless car accelerated past 30 mph speed limit during Sunday’s rollout in Austin, Texas.
YouTuber Herbert Ong described a similar experience in his video, according to Bloomberg.
“It’s going at 39 right now, which is perfect, right, because I don’t want to drive at 35, and it’s driving at the same flow of traffic,” Ong said in the video. “If everyone else is driving at this speed, you want to be at the same speed.”
Bloomberg later reported the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is seeking information from Tesla after seeing the online videos of issues on robotaxi after its debut.
Despite the apparent hiccups, Tesla shares surged after a handpicked group of influencers who participated in the trial run uploaded positive reviews on X and other social media platforms.
Wedbush analyst Dan Ives, a Tesla bull, raved about his experience after taking two approximately 15-minute rides in the state capital.
“Going into it, we expected to be impressed but walking away from it, all there is to say is that this is the future,” Ives said in a note to clients.
“The ride itself was completely smooth, and it was indistinguishable that the car was driverless as there was never a moment in the vehicle where we felt as if it did something irrational.”
Ives maintained his “outperform” rating for Tesla’s stock and a $500 price target.
The electric car maker began offering driverless rides by invitation only on Sunday, with riders charged a $4.20 flat fee — a cheeky nod to marijuana use. About 10 driverless Tesla Model Y SUVs were reportedly on the road, with company “safety monitors” on board in the front seat to oversee the trips.
Bearded Tesla Guy, a social media influencer, compared the experience to “basically Uber.”
Farzad Mesbahi, a former Tesla employee-turned influencer, said his rides were “very smooth and comfortable.”