Frequent interventions by safety personnel cannot hide the hidden dangers; Tesla's Robotaxi debut exposes commercialization technology flaws

According to Zhitong Finance APP, on June 25, Tesla (TSLA.US) opened its autonomous taxi trial service to the public for the first time in Austin, Texas. This highly anticipated technology demonstration has caused industry turmoil due to multiple driving anomalies. Eleven verified on-site videos show that the test vehicles exhibited several operational issues in an open road environment, including lane misjudgment, dangerous parking, and erratic lane changes, casting a shadow over Tesla's autonomous driving strategy.

As a core pillar of CEO Elon Musk's strategic transformation, the commercialization of autonomous driving technology is facing unprecedented pressure. Against the backdrop of declining traditional car sales, Musk has publicly stated that Tesla's financial future is deeply tied to autonomous driving technology, setting an aggressive goal of achieving fully autonomous driving for millions of Teslas by the second half of 2025. However, the issues exposed during this test have raised doubts about the credibility of this timeline.

Footage recorded by trial passengers revealed multiple dangerous scenarios: one test vehicle suddenly changed lanes to the oncoming lane on a six-lane highway, continuing to drive against traffic for six seconds, during which the steering system exhibited unexpected shaking; another taxi made an emergency stop without any obstacles, causing passengers' belongings to scatter in the cabin; even more concerning, a vehicle stopped twice without warning in the middle of the road while passing a police car with flashing lights. The most alarming case occurred at a multi-lane intersection, where the test vehicle left passengers stranded in the middle of a busy intersection, prompting the human safety operator in the front seat to intervene and stop the vehicle.

In response to the criticism, Tesla's safety team emphasized that the test vehicles were equipped with a dual insurance mechanism, with a professional safety monitor always present in the front seat in addition to the autonomous driving system. In one video, when a reversing freight truck appeared in front of the test vehicle, the safety operator promptly pressed the emergency stop button to avoid a collision. However, Philip Koopman, an autonomous driving expert at Carnegie Mellon University, pointed out, "The occurrence of such a high frequency of abnormal operations on the first day of testing reflects a fundamental flaw in the system's decision-making logic."

It is noteworthy that Tesla adopted a "gradual opening" strategy this time: initially inviting a select group of users to participate, setting a fixed fee of $4.20, defining limited operational areas, and avoiding complex road conditions. However, Kara Kockelman, a transportation engineering professor at the University of Texas, believes that even in restricted scenarios, allowing passengers to get out in the middle of a six-lane highway still poses a significant safety risk, "This exposes a fundamental cognitive bias in the system's understanding of the road environment."

Industry comparisons show that the road to the commercialization of autonomous driving is fraught with challenges. Although Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet (GOOGL.US), has become the first company in the U.S. to achieve commercial operation without a safety operator, its operations in Austin also face challenges such as traffic congestion; General Motors (GM.US) Cruise has been forced to suspend services due to safety incidents. Tesla's test involved 10-20 modified Model Y vehicles, and although the scale was small, it attracted attention due to Musk's high-profile promotion.

Supporters argue that the initial issues in testing should not be overinterpreted. Alan Cohen-Hauzer, a professor at Princeton University, pointed out that some abnormal operations actually reflect a conservative safety strategy, such as driving below the flow of traffic, which demonstrates the system's cautious risk assessment However, federal regulators have intervened in the investigation, and the Austin City Hall stated that it is establishing a special communication mechanism with Tesla, focusing on coordinating the interaction norms between autonomous vehicles and law enforcement.

This technological gamble is entering a critical juncture: Musk has repeatedly postponed his autonomous driving commitments over the years, and the issues exposed during current testing are not only related to Tesla's capital valuation but also involve the bottom line of public road safety. As more cities plan to deploy these technologies, how to balance technological innovation with safety assurance will become the ultimate question that Tesla must answer