Over the past few days, at least two Tesla Cybertruck owners learned the hard way that their stainless steel behemoths equipped with the Full-Self Driving (FSD) software are anything but self-driving.
One incident ended in a major crash and the other in a narrowly avoided disaster. Now with Tesla's robotaxi ride-hailing service set to launch in June, the incidents are not just raising more concerns about the technology's readiness, but far bigger questions about its safety.
Welcome back to Critical Materials, your daily round-up of news and events shaping up the world of electric vehicles.
Also on our radar today: The growth of EV chargers in the U.S. is far from doomed despite President Trump's efforts to roll back clean energy programs. And a bill proposed in the South Carolina General Assembly in January allowing Scout Motors to directly sell to consumers has stalled.
30%: With Robotaxi Launch In Sight, Tesla FSD Falters
When it comes to self-driving ambitions, Tesla has overpromised and underdelivered.
The hardware and software required for the automaker's robotaxi service are already equipped in millions of private Teslas across the U.S. With the ride-hailing service slated for a June launch in Texas, incidents related to the underlying technology are garnering attention, adding to a growing stockpile of evidence that FSD is far from ready to ferry passengers safely.
Last week in Nevada, a Tesla Cybertruck with FSD activated failed to merge out of a lane that was ending, hit a curb and crashed into a pole. In a now-deleted post on X, the driver warned users about the consequences of getting complacent behind the wheel.
"Don't make the same mistake I did. Pay attention," said Jonathan Challinger, who was driving the Cybertruck. "It is easy to get complacent now—don't. Spread my message and help save others from the same fate or far worse."
According to police records viewed by Reuters, there was an unknown mechanical issue with the truck that caused this accident.
Tesla's Autopilot and FSD systems are under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). They have been linked to dozens of crashes, some of them fatal.
In a separate incident, a Tesla owner posted on the Cybertruck Owners Club that he narrowly avoided a dangerous collision while using FSD. As per the dash cam footage he shared, the truck attempted to turn into an oncoming vehicle, which could have led to a catastrophic head-on collision. But the driver intervened and narrowly prevented that from happening.
During the Q4 2024 earnings call, Tesla CEO Elon Musk urged FSD skeptics to try the technology. "The only people who are skeptical [of FSD], are those who have not tried it," he said.
He went on to say that Tesla will launch a ride-hailing service in Austin, Texas in June and then expand to other U.S. cities by the end of the year. Nationwide robotaxi service will be available in 2026 and Tesla will expand that to global markets by the end of next year, he said. The initial rollout would be limited and Tesla will expand gradually to ensure safety—similar to how Waymo began years ago.
Tesla's timeline for the national rollout seems overly optimistic. Waymo currently operates in four U.S. cities and that took years to happen. Don't be surprised if Musk's plans get delayed, again.
60%: Slowdown Of EV Charger Growth May Be Overblown
When it comes to EV charger deployment in the U.S., the ship has already sailed.
The $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program aims to build out a national network of fast and highly reliable chargers by 2030. The federal government is in charge of passing on those funds to states who can then award contracts to charging companies. The NEVI program was off to a slow start, with only a handful of stations built in its initial years.
But it has now picked up momentum. As Bloomberg reported on Friday, 35 states were ready to build 890 stations as of November. According to EVstates.org, which tracks the progress of the NEVI program, the former Biden administration awarded $3.3 billion to states, who have passed on $511 million so far to charging companies. Fourteen states have at least one operational NEVI-funded station.
The initial delay was mainly due to bureaucratic red tape and long permitting processes. The slow rollout became a target of online ridicule and misinformation, with critics falsely claiming that billions of dollars had been spent to build a handful of stations. Now President Trump has signed executive orders to dismantle this program, but that's unlikely to harm the long-term progress of America's charger growth.
NEVI is a small part of a much larger puzzle. Automakers and charging companies plan to continue their own efforts in making charging more accessible for their customers. Plus, 80% of EV charging happens at home, according to the Department of Transportation, so the growth of slow-speed Level 2 home chargers is expected to continue with rising EV sales.
90%: Scout's Direct Sales Plan Hits Roadblock
There's no place like home, unless you're Scout Motors. The Volkswagen-backed brand wants to sell its EVs directly to consumers, but the company is having trouble making the case even in its home state of South Carolina.
Scout Motors, which plans to launch battery-electric and range-extender versions of its Terra pickup and Traveler SUV starting in 2027, has said that it will adopt a direct-to-consumer sales approach, akin to what Tesla, Rivian and Lucid have been doing.
Direct sales, however, are banned in a dozen certain states due to franchise laws. Scout wants to legally change that practice, starting in South Carolina. Lawmakers floated a bill in the state's House Of Representatives last month promising an amendment allowing DTC sales.
But after a committee adjourned to debate it, those plans seem to have stalled, according to Automotive News. It's worth noting that South Carolina's Republican Governor Henry McMaster supports the bill. The state, after all, stands to benefit from the $2 billion Scout plant that would boost jobs and economic activity.
Dealers, unsurprisingly, are fighting tooth and nail to block the move. The battle isn’t over but for now, Scout’s direct sales plan seems to be stuck in neutral right in the company's own backyard.
100%: Will Tesla's Robotaxi Rollout Be Fast And Successful?
History has taught us that Tesla overpromises and underdelivers. The timelines of the Cybertruck and the decade-long promise of FSD are a testament to that. But Musk's June target is the most precise that we've heard from him. Plus, he now has unprecedented power to make things happen as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency and President Trump's "first buddy."
Do you see yourself rolling safely in Tesla robotaxis this year? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
