Tesla Invokes Federal Law to Prevent Disclosure of Robotaxi Testing Data

TESLA launched a small-scale Robotaxi program in Austin, Texas, last weekend, marking a significant step forward in the automaker's efforts in autonomous vehicles. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is collecting data on the program, but Tesla recently requested the government agency not to disclose the collected information.

Last week, NHTSA announced that it was reviewing responses Tesla provided to questions about Robotaxi safety and their performance in bad weather conditions. The automaker responded by invoking a federal law that prevents NHTSA from releasing what the company considers confidential information. Tesla's legal services stated that this protection would prevent the company's commercially valuable information from leaking to competitors, which could mean the manufacturer disclosed sensitive data about cameras and other technologies it does not want to share with others.

In Tesla's memo to NHTSA, it states: "Malicious actors could also use the marked information to damage Tesla's reputation for the sake of notoriety. Without public disclosure, access to the marked information and all knowledge derived from it would require a significant investment of time and resources and very detailed knowledge about Tesla."

The Robotaxi program was launched in Austin with $4.20 rides for initial users. While it is understandable that Tesla wants to protect its intellectual property, this move could also be aimed at improving public perception of the testing, which currently relies on human operators acting in the background.