As Robotaxi Rides Begin, We Still Don't Know the Mystery of Tesla's Human Helpers

It can feel like a dirty secret. Shouldn't an autonomous vehicle operate, well, autonomously? But experts say teleoperations are, at least right now, a critical part of any robot taxi service, including Tesla's Robotaxi. The tech, though impressive, is still in development, and the autonomous systems still need humans to guide them through less-common and especially sticky road situations. Plus, a bedrock principle of safety engineering is that every system needs a backup--doubly so for new robotic ones that involve two-ton EVs driving themselves on public roads.