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Tesla Robotaxis Involved in Crashes While Remotely Driven
15 May
Summary
- Two recent Tesla Robotaxi crashes occurred while teleoperators were remotely driving.
- Both low-speed incidents happened in Austin, Texas, with no passengers present.
- Tesla previously redacted crash descriptions, but has now unredacted them.
Newly unredacted information submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates that Tesla Robotaxis have been involved in at least two crashes since July 2025 while teleoperators were remotely driving the vehicles. These incidents, both occurring at low speeds in Austin, Texas, involved a safety monitor behind the wheel and no passengers on board.
Tesla had previously redacted descriptions of its crashes, citing confidential business information, but has now provided narrative details for 17 recorded incidents. In one July 2025 event, a teleoperator took control when the automated driving system had trouble, guiding the vehicle up a curb and into a fence. A similar sequence occurred in January 2026, resulting in the vehicle making contact with a construction barricade.
While many of the unredacted crashes involved other vehicles hitting Teslas, at least two incidents involved Tesla Robotaxis clipping mirrors. Another September 2025 crash saw an ADS unable to avoid a dog. These revelations come as Tesla's CEO acknowledged that ensuring complete safety is the primary factor limiting the expansion of their autonomous ride-hailing network, with the company proceeding cautiously.
