In ramping up robotaxi service, Tesla is hoping to slingshot past Waymo, another autonomous car service that operates in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Austin, according to its website. Last week, Waymo applied for a permit to test its vehicles in New York City.

Seven Democratic lawmakers in Texas are pressing Tesla to hold off on deploying its fleet of autonomous robotaxis in Austin, just days ahead of the company’s anticipated launch. The appeal comes amid growing concern about public safety and regulatory readiness as driverless vehicles prepare to hit the roads.

Tesla stock was down Friday, the last trading day before the company’s expected robotaxi launch, as Texas Democrats tried to get CEO Elon Musk to delay the start of its service. Shares of the electric vehicle maker were down 0.