_Incident · Collision_

# Tesla robotaxis logged 17 NHTSA-reported incidents in Austin, including two teleoperator-caused crashes

Canonical ID: `482c926e-09de-4a24-affd-0a333f005eec`

- **Occurred:** 2026-03-01
- **Kind:** `collision`
- **Status (derived):** active
- **Deployment:** [Tesla Robotaxi (Model Y ADS) at Austin](/deployments/tesla-robotaxi-austin.md) — id `7538300f-62ac-452d-8ab7-36fef779acc8`
- **Model:** [Tesla Robotaxi (Model Y ADS)](/models/tesla-robotaxi.md) — id `29951756-3e69-44e2-bc13-aa01909c0098`
- **Company:** [Tesla](/companies/tesla.md) — id `bde7c8a1-5d35-449d-93b0-2ac8e4601c16`

Federal NHTSA crash data covering July 2025 through March 2026 shows Tesla's Austin robotaxi fleet recorded 17 total reported incidents, with zero major crashes. Several were rear-endings and sideswipes caused by inattentive human drivers rather than the robotaxi. Two incidents resulted in minor injuries (July and October 2025), and one teleoperator-caused crash produced a minor injury requiring hospitalization. Two notable crashes were caused not by the autonomous system but by human teleoperators who took remote control when the ADS stalled: in July 2025, a teleoperator drove a robotaxi up a curb into a metal fence at ~8 mph; in January 2026, a teleoperator drove into a construction barricade at ~9 mph. Tesla had previously filed these narratives under a confidential-business-information designation, then reversed course in May 2026 to release readable descriptions for all 17 crashes — the most complete public accounting to date. All events involved a 2026 Model Y with the ADS engaged. For context, Austin Police have publicly confirmed no major crashes and no traffic citations issued to Tesla robotaxis. NHTSA separately contacted Tesla after videos surfaced of robotaxis driving on the wrong side of the road and braking erratically. The teleoperator crashes highlight that the autonomous-to-human handoff is itself a risk surface.

## Sources (4)

1. **CBS — 14 crashes (later 17), minor injuries July/Oct 2025, property damage, NHTSA erratic-driving inquiry** · https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tesla-robotaxi-austin-14-crashes-nhtsa/ · 2026-02-17
2. **TechCrunch — two teleoperator-caused crashes, Austin, low speed, no passengers** · https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/15/tesla-reveals-two-robotaxi-crashes-involving-teleoperators/ · 2026-05-15
3. **Teslarati — teleoperator crash narratives (fence, barricade); <10mph teleoperator authorization** · https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-discloses-two-robotaxi-crashes-nhtsa/ · 2026-05-15
4. **Basenor — 17 incidents, zero major crashes, evenhanded breakdown, Austin PD no citations** · https://www.basenor.com/blogs/news/tesla-robotaxi-austin-safety-record-what-nhtsa-data-shows · 2026-05-19

## Response (1)

> **Tesla** · operator · 2026-05-15
> Tesla reversed its prior confidential-business-information designation in May 2026 to release readable narratives for all 17 Austin crashes. Tesla has stated teleoperators are authorized to pilot vehicles remotely only at speeds below 10 mph for repositioning. Tesla did not respond to several press requests for comment on the teleoperator-caused crashes.


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