Tesla Robotaxi Passenger Describes Harrowing Highway Incident

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A 34-year-old Dallas resident named Chris Ramos recounted a harrowing experience riding in a Tesla robotaxi, where the vehicle attempted to pull over on the highway as traffic was moving at high speeds. Ramos also said the car missed its final destination, took him to the wrong location, and got stuck in a loop circling a hotel before support stepped in.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the ongoing challenges and limitations of autonomous driving technology, even as companies like Tesla push to deploy robotaxi services. Public skepticism remains high, with many people still wary of the safety of fully self-driving cars.

The details

Ramos said the robotaxi handled city driving smoothly, but had difficulty reading traffic signals and missed an exit, entering the highway. As traffic was moving at 80-90 mph, the car suddenly started to slow down, as if preparing to pull over, which Ramos said made him feel unsafe. A Tesla representative appeared to take over the car and kept it moving in the slow lane until it exited the highway. From there, the car continued to have issues, missing the final destination and getting stuck in a loop around a hotel.

• On Saturday, Ramos tried Tesla's new robotaxi service in Dallas.
• Tesla began a similar driverless service in Austin in January 2026, about 10 months after Waymo launched its service there.

What they’re saying

What’s next

Tesla has not yet responded to Business Insider's request for comment about Ramos' experience. The company will likely need to address these types of incidents as it continues to roll out its robotaxi service and work to improve the technology.