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Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) shares jumped nearly 10% after the Trump administration announced relaxed safety regulations for self-driving vehicles, aiming to accelerate deployment and bolster U.S. competitiveness against China. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy emphasized that cutting red tape would help automakers like Tesla, General Motors (NYSE:GM), and Alphabet’s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Waymo compete globally.
Under the new rules, autonomous vehicles can operate without traditional features like rearview mirrors, and automakers will only need to report severe crashes monthly. Vehicles equipped with driver assistance systems, like Tesla Autopilot, must report incidents only if fatalities, serious injuries, or airbag deployments occur.
CEO Elon Musk, an adviser to President Trump, has long pledged to roll out commercial robotaxi services. Analysts, including Morningstar's Seth Goldstein, believe reduced regulations could speed Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) deployment, though achieving safe, fully autonomous software remains critical.
While industry groups praised the move, safety advocates voiced concern that loosening oversight could lead to deadly consequences. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is also expanding its Automated Vehicle Exemption Program to include domestically produced vehicles.
Meanwhile, California proposed new state-level rules requiring 100,000 miles of combined testing before allowing commercial driverless operations. Tesla has reported only 562 miles of safety driver testing in California since 2016, highlighting potential challenges ahead.
General Motors recently pulled funding from its Cruise robotaxi unit after a serious accident and a $500,000 criminal fine. In contrast, Waymo secured $5.6 billion in new funding to expand its operations.
The regulatory shift marks a pivotal moment for the autonomous driving sector, potentially boosting Tesla's robotaxi ambitions while intensifying scrutiny over safety standards.
