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Tesla Moves to Block Austin from Releasing Robotaxi Records

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Tesla is attempting to stop the city of Austin, Texas, from disclosing public records to Reuters regarding its upcoming launch of self-driving robotaxis, expected to begin operating on Austin’s streets this month. The electric vehicle maker argues that releasing the documents would expose confidential business information and damage its competitive position.

Reuters submitted a public records request in February, seeking communications between Tesla and Austin officials over the prior two years. This request came after Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s January announcement that the company would soon introduce fare-collecting robotaxis in Austin.

In early April, Austin’s public-information officer Dan Davis informed Reuters that certain “third parties” had asked the city to withhold the requested records, citing privacy and proprietary concerns. The city then referred the matter to the Texas Attorney General’s office on April 7, as state law requires when disputes arise over the release of potentially confidential information.

On April 16, a Tesla attorney sent a letter to the Attorney General, objecting to the release of what it described as “confidential, proprietary, competitively sensitive commercial, and/or trade secret information.” Tesla argued that public disclosure of these communications would expose its deployment procedures, strategy, and operational status, potentially causing the company “irreparable harm.”

Tesla and the Texas Attorney General’s office have declined to comment further. Austin city officials emphasized that they take no stance on whether the materials qualify as proprietary, but are obligated by law to seek the Attorney General’s judgment when a third party claims confidentiality.

Musk has made self-driving technology central to Tesla’s future growth. While the company has repeatedly delayed full autonomy, the robotaxi launch in Austin is being closely monitored by investors and regulators as a potential breakthrough moment. Many analysts believe Tesla’s high market valuation depends largely on the commercial success of its robotaxis and humanoid robots.

Details of Tesla’s Austin robotaxi program remain limited. The company has only revealed plans to initially deploy between 10 and 20 autonomous vehicles in certain, undisclosed areas of Austin.

In response to Tesla’s objections, a Reuters attorney argued on April 23 that the public has a right to transparency, especially when Tesla plans to operate untested autonomous vehicles on public roads. “Tesla’s deployment of the unproven technology on Texas roadways makes its plans an issue of enormous importance to Texas and the public at large,” the attorney wrote.

The Texas Attorney General’s office is expected to issue a ruling within 45 business days, a deadline that arrives next week.

Tesla’s Optimus Humanoid Robot Program Chief Milan Kovac Resigns

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Milan Kovac, head of Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot program, announced his departure from the company in a post on X on Friday, citing personal reasons for the decision. Kovac, who took charge of the program in 2022 as director of Optimus and Autopilot Engineering and was promoted to vice president in 2023, stated that his decision was driven solely by the need to spend more time with his family abroad.

“I’ve been far away from home for too long, and will need to spend more time with family abroad. I want to make it clear that this is the only reason,” Kovac said on social media.

According to Bloomberg News, which first reported the news, Kovac will leave his position immediately. Leadership of the Optimus program will now transition to Ashok Elluswamy, who currently heads Tesla’s Autopilot division. Neither Tesla nor Elluswamy have publicly commented on the leadership change.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has previously emphasized the central role that the Optimus robot and full autonomy play in the company’s long-term future. “The only things that matter in the long term are autonomy and Optimus,” Musk told CNBC in May.

Musk has stated that Tesla aims to produce thousands of Optimus robots this year, though the project has faced supply chain obstacles. In April, Musk noted that China’s export restrictions on rare-earth magnets had affected production of the humanoid robots.

Tesla has increasingly focused its business strategy on autonomous technology, including both the Optimus robots and the company’s anticipated robotaxi service. Much of Tesla’s future valuation, Musk has indicated, is tied to the success of these initiatives.

Starlink Secures Indian License to Launch Satellite Services Amid Regulatory Hurdles

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Elon Musk’s Starlink has obtained a license from India’s telecom ministry to commence commercial satellite communications operations in the country, according to two sources speaking to Reuters. The approval marks a key milestone for Starlink, which has been pursuing entry into the Indian market since 2022.

Starlink becomes the third company to receive such a license from India’s Department of Telecommunications, joining Eutelsat’s OneWeb and Reliance Jio. While the telecom ministry and Starlink have not publicly commented on the development, sources indicate that Starlink still faces several regulatory steps before it can begin offering services.

The satellite operator must now secure a separate license from India’s space regulator, which it is reportedly close to obtaining. Beyond that, Starlink will need to acquire spectrum rights from the government, build local ground infrastructure, and conduct testing to meet stringent security requirements. The full process is expected to take several more months.

Musk previously met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Modi’s U.S. visit in February, where Starlink’s entry plans and India’s security concerns were discussed.

The licensing breakthrough arrives at a sensitive time for Musk. His feud with U.S. President Donald Trump over government contracts has put approximately $22 billion of SpaceX’s U.S. government work at risk, making Starlink’s international expansion even more crucial.

In a surprising twist earlier this year, Indian telecom giants Jio and Bharti Airtel announced they would stock Starlink equipment in their stores, despite directly competing in broadband services. Notably, Musk and Jio’s Mukesh Ambani had clashed for months over how satellite spectrum should be allocated in India. Ultimately, the Indian government sided with Musk’s preference for assigned rather than auctioned spectrum.

India’s telecom regulator has proposed a 4% annual revenue share fee for satellite providers, which some domestic firms argue is too low and could harm their businesses. Nevertheless, the Indian satellite broadband market is projected to reach $1.9 billion by 2030, according to Deloitte, attracting global competitors like Starlink and Amazon’s Kuiper, which is still awaiting licensing approval.