Tesla Reveals Remote Drivers Temporarily Control its Robotaxis

In a congressional hearing, automaker Tesla revealed that remote human operators sometimes temporarily take control of their ‘autonomous’ ride-hailing vehicles “if necessary.”

According to an article by Victor Tangermann in Futurism, “That’s in contrast to Waymo’s approach, which involves its team intervening to make higher-level decisions on where the stuck car should navigate next.”

In a letter, Tesla explained that the measure happens “in rare cases” and only as “the final escalation maneuver after all other available intervention actions have been exhausted.” Operators based on Austin, Texas or Palo Alto, California can temporarily control vehicles going up to 10 miles per hour. 

Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) expressed concern about the company’s secrecy around the practice, while a Tesla representative claimed that more detailed information about how the takeovers operate would “necessarily reveal highly sensitive trade secrets and confidential business practices.”