Tesla’s Austin Robotaxi service began on June 22, 2025, with a small, supervised fleet. Shares initially climbed after the launch, then fell more than 4%—nearly $15—on June 24, according to Futurism. Videos of awkward and unsafe-looking driving drew attention that week, but the timing alone does not prove they caused the stock decline.
What happened during Tesla’s Austin Robotaxi debut?
Tesla began its first Robotaxi service in Austin on June 22, 2025. The rollout was limited, not a citywide driverless service: Bloomberg described a narrow operating area and a handful of selected riders, with an employee monitoring each vehicle from the front passenger seat. Reuters reported the early test used about 10 to 20 standard Model Y vehicles, also with a safety monitor in front.
Tesla’s Q2 2025 update called Austin its first Robotaxi service and described its initial scope as limited. The company said its autonomy approach uses a camera-only architecture and neural networks trained on data from its global fleet. That is Tesla’s description of its system, not an independent assessment of its safety or performance. Tesla’s Q2 2025 update
What driving problems appeared in launch-week videos?
Rider videos and reporting showed several types of errors: cars entering a lane for oncoming traffic, stopping to drop off passengers in roadways or intersections, braking suddenly, speeding, and driving over a curb. Reuters independently verified locations for at least 11 videos showing issues. In one clip, a car proceeded into oncoming traffic for about six seconds; in another, a vehicle braked suddenly with no obstruction apparent in the video.
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Reuters said the incidents caught on camera did not involve accidents. Those clips are evidence of visible driving problems during the test, not a count of crashes. Quoted by Reuters on June 25, Carnegie Mellon computer-engineering professor and autonomous-technology expert Philip Koopman said, “This is awfully early to have a bunch of videos of erratic and poor driving,” and that he “was not expecting as many videos of problematic driving on the very first day.” Reuters reporting republished by Investing.com
Why did Tesla shares first rise, then fall?
The market response was mixed during launch week. Bloomberg reported that Tesla shares climbed after the service began on June 22. Futurism reported that shares fell more than 4%, nearly $15, on Tuesday, June 24, after videos of problematic driving drew negative attention. Bloomberg’s June 23 report Futurism’s June 25 report
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The chronology supports saying that the clips became a focus as shares fell; it does not establish that they alone caused the decline. Other market factors may also have affected Tesla shares. “Tailspin” was the framing used in Futurism’s headline, not a description of current market performance or a measure of a longer-term return.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What did regulators do, and what do later reports show?
Initial response to the launch-week videos
On June 24, 2025, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration told The Guardian: “NHTSA is aware of the referenced incidents and is in contact with the manufacturer to gather additional information.” The Guardian also reported the agency’s explanation that manufacturers certify their vehicles meet federal standards, while NHTSA investigates potential safety defects. The statement described information-gathering; it was not an announced finding that the videos established a defect. The Guardian’s June 24 report
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Crash reports after the launch
In 2026 coverage based on NHTSA data, CBS News reported 14 crashes involving Tesla Robotaxis since the Austin launch. Of the five most recent incidents discussed in that report, all involved property damage and no injuries; two earlier incidents resulted in minor injuries. This is a reported total as of that coverage, not a fixed final count, and it should not be conflated with the launch-week videos Reuters reviewed, which did not involve accidents. CBS News report on the reported crashes
Later Cybercab developments
Axios reported on September 4, 2026, that Texas authorization had been issued to Tesla Robotaxi LLC and that 45 Cybercabs had been added to the vehicles listed under that authorization. The report also said NHTSA had opened an investigation into Tesla’s self-certification that the Cybercab met federal standards. Separately, Axios counted 10 city incidents or complaints involving Tesla autonomous vehicles since Cybercab testing began in June 2025; seven were categorized as safety concerns. These are later developments involving Cybercabs and subsequent Austin operations—not details about the original Model Y test fleet or a continuation of the launch-week video tally. Axios Austin’s September 4, 2026 report
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