Public Protests Over Tesla Robotaxi Safety Risks in Austin
Activists and residents in Austin, Texas reportedly protested Tesla's planned launch of commercial robotaxi services on June 22, 2025, citing concerns about the safety of the Full Self-Driving autonomous system. Demonstrators claimed the system has serious safety issues and conducted a public demonstration showing the system allegedly speeding past a school bus and striking child-sized dummies.
What happened
Elon Musk announced Tesla would begin commercial robotaxi pilot testing on June 22, 2025 in Austin, Texas using fully autonomous vehicles.
On June 12, 2025, activists from groups including The Dawn Project, Tesla Takedown, and Resist Austin protested in downtown Austin, expressing concerns about the robotaxi launch.
During their demonstration, critics with a Tesla Model Y running Full Self-Driving software version 13.2.9 showed the vehicle traveling at high speed past a school bus with a stop sign and striking child-sized dummies placed in front of it.
Reported impact
Protesters stated that Tesla's Full Self-Driving system has serious safety problems and expressed concern that robotaxi deployment could threaten the livelihoods of online drivers.
According to traffic safety data cited by protesters, Tesla's Full Self-Driving system has been involved in numerous crash incidents, including dozens classified as fatal.
Index analysis
Activists claimed the automatic steering system is not transparent and has encountered multiple safety issues across different crash scenarios.
The demonstration was motivated by broader concerns about the safety of Tesla's autonomous driving capabilities before commercial deployment to the public.
Governance controls
Protesters expressed disappointment with CEO Musk's involvement with the Trump administration, suggesting concerns about potential regulatory oversight of the robotaxi launch.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.