Tesla Inc. is reportedly blocking the release of robotaxi records from the city of Austin, amid concerns over public access to information about its driverless car operations in the Texas capital.
The request for records, filed by Reuters in February, sought communications between Tesla and Austin officials, dating back two years. The move came after Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced plans to test its robotaxi service in Austin, which is now set to expand later this month.
According to reports, Tesla objected to the release of “confidential, proprietary, competitively sensitive commercial and/or trade secret information.” However, an attorney for the city stated that they don’t take a particular position on the confidentiality of the materials involved.
The city’s law department, which oversees public records issues, declined to comment further when asked about the people’s right to access information about driverless cars operating in Austin. The Texas Attorney General’s office has 45 business days to decide whether the city is required by law to release the records.
This decision comes as Tesla prepares to launch its robotaxi service in Austin, which will compete with existing services like Waymo and Uber, which have already been operating in the city since 2023.
Source: https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/tesla-is-reportedly-blocking-the-city-of-austin-from-releasing-robotaxi-records-155643815.html