Tesla Robotaxi Faces Criticism from Industry Veteran John Krafcik
Tesla’s Robotaxi service has been the subject of scrutiny from skeptics within the industry, with ex-Waymo CEO John Krafcik being the latest to voice his concerns. Krafcik, who currently sits on the board of Tesla competitor Rivian, recently criticized the self-driving ride-hailing service.
Robotaxi operates in both Austin, Texas, and the San Francisco Bay Area. In Austin, the service was launched on June 22, becoming the first city where Tesla introduced driverless rides to a select group of guests. Since its initial launch, the service has expanded both its user base and geofence multiple times.
However, in the Bay Area, Tesla is unable to legally refer to the platform as “Robotaxi,” instead opting to call it a ride-hailing service, as confirmed by CEO Elon Musk.
Krafcik, who spent seven years at Waymo, expressed skepticism towards Tesla’s Robotaxi fleet, comparing it to the Uber experience in San Francisco. He emphasized that the presence of Safety Monitors in the vehicles makes them not truly autonomous.
In Austin, Safety Monitors are located in the front passenger seat only, while in the Bay Area, they are required to be in the driver’s seat. Krafcik pointed out that the presence of an employee inside the car contradicts the concept of a true Robotaxi.
Despite Tesla’s emphasis on safety and the precautionary measure of having Safety Monitors onboard, Krafcik remains uninterested in trying out the Robotaxi service. He believes that the presence of a human monitor detracts from the autonomous nature of the vehicle.
Musk has acknowledged Tesla’s cautious approach to safety, noting that any accidents could significantly set back the progress of the self-driving program. While Krafcik’s criticism raises valid points, Tesla continues to refine and improve its autonomous technology to eventually achieve a fully autonomous Robotaxi experience.