Tesla robotaxi specs and FSD update intensify electric‑vehicle autonomy scrutiny

Tesla has filed documentation for its upcoming Cybercab robotaxi with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, revealing a laboratory range of 673 km that translates to roughly 470 km after EPA correction. The two‑seat, wing‑door coupe is designed without pedals or a steering wheel and aims to serve autonomous taxi fleets.

In Spain, officials are reportedly close to approving Tesla’s Full Self‑Driving (FSD) system after more than 80,000 kilometres of testing without incidents, a step that would extend the technology’s availability across a major European market.

Tesla also rolled out a software change that now forces drivers to record a reason each time they disengage the FSD system, improving the data collected for the company’s AI training.

A recent Australian Automobile Association study showed that BYD’s Atto 3 and Dolphin models achieved real‑world ranges within 5 % of their WLTP‑certified figures, while Tesla’s Model Y Long Range lagged by about 7 %—still the highest absolute range among the vehicles tested.

Separately, a German court ruled that an electric‑car’s WLTP range differing by more than 10 % from actual measured range can be deemed a material defect, allowing buyers to seek contract termination and refunds.