Tesla robotaxi safety called into question after frightening video
Videos of the robotaxi rollout are leaking on social media.
It's going to be hard for the public to accurately judge the progress Tesla and its robotaxi program are making on the streets of Austin, Texas.
At least it will be for as long as Tesla is still in its testing phase and limiting the people who can access its robotaxi service to customers it has specifically invited.
"Gearheads" are car fans fiercely loyal to the cars and brands they like. But their brand loyalty could never compare to the slavishness of "tech bros."
Related: Tesla fans flock to social media to celebrate robotaxi launch
And since Tesla has fashioned itself as a tech company first and a car company second, its brand loyalty has reached tech-bro levels of cultism.
Tesla's Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 97, which measures customer satisfaction and retention, significantly outpaces that of even the most trusted tech brands.
Anything above 40 is considered great, but even Apple's 72 score pales in comparison to how users feel about their Teslas.
The combination of these two factors means the early reviews will be gushing, whether from buy-side megabulls like Wedbush analyst Dan Ives, or your average Tesla fanboy who says his robotaxi ride felt "like magic."
However, some users are less enthusiastic about the launch, especially as videos like the ones below begin circulating online. 
Tesla robotaxi caught in the wrong lane in concerning video
Social media users are sharing videos of their robotaxi rides on X, but not all of the videos have been magical.
User @BradMunchen didn't share where his video came from, but the 42-second clip shows a Tesla robotaxi with its left blinker on following a safe distance behind the vehicle in front of it. But the robotaxi becomes "confused" after the vehicle in front makes a left turn.
The autonomous vehicle drives in the wrong lane for five seconds before correcting its course and safely merging into another lane.
It is unclear whether the "safety monitor" riding shotgun intervenes to help the vehicle correct its course.
Tesla "robotaxi" launch day in Austin. This is the only video you need to see, in case it gets deleted.
Watch the Tesla try to turn where it's not supposed to at around 18 seconds into the video. $TSLA pic.twitter.com/8307Es7zWJ— Motorhead (@BradMunchen) June 23, 2025
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The conversation underneath the video showed the gulf between the true believers and the skeptics.
One user didn't see anything wrong with what happened, saying, "And your point is …? It tries to turn, figured out there is an error, and corrected itself. What’s the big deal?"
The original poser responded by telling the user to imagine a loved one in the backseat when this happens. But other users defended Tesla.
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"I bought my wife a new Model Y because of self-driving. It is exceptionally good and a better driver than she is, by her own admission. I let it drive me around all the time (when she lets me have at it). How about you take your Tesla short position and go stuff it?" said user @gak_pdx.
Tesla robotaxis use a different version of full self-driving than your run-of-the-mill Model Y, but a recent video from that version of FSD is also concerning.
Cybertruck using FSD drives in the wrong lane in concerning video
Tesla offers users a different suite of driver assistance programs based on their subscription level.
The most advanced supervised FSD features include automatic lane change, navigation, traffic light and stop sign recognition, autoparking, and the ability to “smart summon“ your vehicle to you from miles away.
But a new video circulating on X, which Tesla CEO Elon Musk owns, suggests that the software undergirding the system isn't ready for prime time.
One user who says he uses FSD for over two hours of travel daily in the Philadelphia area showed a video that should concern any driver who shares the road with these vehicles.
The Cybertruck makes a blind left turn and ends up on the wrong side of a two-lane roadway. The onboard display shows that the vehicle's computer recognizes that it is in the wrong lane.
Still, it drives along anyway for a good 10 seconds before the driver takes control of the vehicle, just seconds before oncoming traffic arrives.
I use FSD for over 2 hours of travel every day around the Philadelphia area and have never experienced an issue as bad as this one. Any ideas why it chose the completely wrong lane? Has anyone ever experienced anything like this? pic.twitter.com/SwxMqCt5Df— Billy (@billykyle) June 15, 2025
Related: Tesla makes surprising admission about its robotaxi
