We’re getting the first videos of “select guests” getting access to Tesla’s Robotaxi service in Austin, and the level of polish leaves something to be desired.
For instance, one gaggle of Tesla influencers was dropped off directly in an intersection, leading to these wooly screenshots.
There is absolutely nothing stopping the human employee from sitting behind the wheel except optics…
Like, if there’s three passengers, does the employee keep shotgun?
Does a passenger get the driver’s seat? Or do they all have to sit in the backseat so people can see it’s driving itself?
Is the plan for highspeed situations really just opening a fucking door at speed?
The level of stupidity is, as always, fascinating…
A passenger in the drivers seat could easily kill everyone by bumping the steer wheel (and reverting control back to… themself!) or by resting their foot inadvertently on the pedals.
You’re right, it’s purely optics, a stock pump play. The system would be safer with the Tesla employee behind the wheel, but these techbro influencer videos would be less impressive that way.
Nothing instills investors with confidence more than a nervous employee with a death grip on the door
handlebutton.