Stories
Musk: Tesla Robotaxis Struggle with Night Driving, Small Animals a Major Hurdle
F
Firstpost•05-10-2026, 10:52
Musk: Tesla Robotaxis Struggle with Night Driving, Small Animals a Major Hurdle
- •Elon Musk states Tesla's Robotaxi service faces a significant challenge identifying small animals like "grey kittens on grey tarmac in the dark" during night operations.
- •The Austin Robotaxi pilot's operating hours have been extended to 11 PM, still narrower than the initial midnight cut-off in June 2025.
- •Tesla's camera-centric autonomous driving strategy, which eschews lidar and radar, is highlighted as a potential factor in low-light visibility issues.
- •Rival Waymo, using a combination of cameras, lidar, and radar, operates 24/7, demonstrating how multiple sensors can enhance object detection in poor lighting.
- •The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating 3.2 million Tesla vehicles over collisions involving Full Self-Driving in low-visibility conditions, seeking internal documents like "Radar Saves Us."
Key Questions Answered
Tesla robotaxis face difficulties seeing small animals, such as grey kittens, that blend into the dark tarmac when lighting is poor.
Tesla relies strictly on a camera-based autonomous-driving strategy, whereas Waymo utilizes a combination of cameras alongside lidar and radar sensors.
The agency is investigating roughly 3.2 million Tesla vehicles following collisions involving Full Self-Driving technology in low-visibility conditions.
