In Austin, a self-driving Tesla Robotaxi was caught on video colliding with plastic road bollards. The car found itself in front of a barrier installed around a sidewalk extension, then adjusted its trajectory several times and ultimately drove through the obstacle.
The situation is particularly noteworthy because it wasn't an unexpected object. According to Carscoops, these bollards had been in this location since 2024. Therefore, the problem is not so much about the sudden appearance of an obstacle, but rather the system's ability to correctly interpret road geometry and choose a safe route.
Tesla uses cameras and the vehicle's computing system for autonomous driving, without relying on lidar and high-precision HD maps. In such situations, the software is required to independently determine the boundaries of the roadway and understand how to drive around a temporary object.
The incident occurred at a particularly inconvenient time. Tesla is preparing to expand its robotaxi service in Austin, and expects to begin testing a new Cybercab without a steering wheel or pedals as early as August.
However, it cannot be argued that one such episode proves the entire system is unsafe. But it clearly demonstrates the main problem of autonomous driving: the car must not just recognize objects, but understand the road situation and anticipate the correct maneuver.