Zoox robotaxi crashes into parked car, injuring driver's hand in San Francisco
On 17 January 2026, a Zoox autonomous vehicle carrying a company employee collided with the open driver's-side door of a parked 1977 Cadillac Coupe DeVille in San Francisco. The door was opened by street ambassador Jamel Durden, whose hand was smashed in the crash. Zoox stated the robotaxi detected the opening door and attempted to avoid it but contact was unavoidable. The San Francisco Police Department and California DMV are investigating, and Zoox is cooperating with authorities.
- Company involved
- Zoox
- AI system involved
- Zoox robotaxi
1 source article · read the reporting →
Zoox Recalls 105 Robotaxis After Vehicle Enters Fire Scene in Las Vegas
A Zoox autonomous vehicle drove into heavy smoke at an active fire scene in Las Vegas on June 20, 2026, before emergency crews had fully secured the area. The unoccupied robotaxi braked and stopped, then reversed out under remote operator guidance. Zoox issued a voluntary recall of its 105-vehicle fleet and deployed a software update to improve smoke detection. The incident has drawn scrutiny from NHTSA, which plans to meet with autonomous vehicle developers to address such safety issues.
- Company involved
- Zoox
- AI system involved
- Zoox autonomous driving software
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Starship delivery robot collides with car in Frisco, driver compensated
Jisuk Mok's car was hit by a Starship food delivery robot while she was stopped at a light in Frisco, Texas, causing over $2,600 in damage. She struggled to get insurance information and contact Starship, which initially refused to release video of the incident. After NBC 5 Responds intervened, Starship acknowledged the incident and agreed to pay for the damages. The company stated such incidents are rare, with robots crossing 15,000 roads daily without issue.
- Company involved
- Starship Technologies
- AI system involved
- Starship
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Tesla Autopilot fails to stop for police in Germany after driver falls asleep
A Tesla Model 3 using Autopilot failed to stop for a police checkpoint on an Autobahn near Bamberg, Germany, after the driver fell asleep. Police pursued the vehicle for 15 minutes at 110 km/h before the driver awoke and pulled over. The driver had used a steering wheel weight to trick the system into detecting hands on the wheel and showed signs of drug impairment. The driver was charged with endangering road traffic and had their licence confiscated pending a court hearing.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Tesla replaces factory robots with humans after automation failure
In April 2018, Elon Musk acknowledged that excessive automation at Tesla's Model 3 production facility had caused significant delays. The complex conveyor belt system failed to work as intended, leading to missed production goals. Musk replaced the automated system with human workers, stating that 'humans are underrated'. Following the change, production rates were expected to improve.
- Company involved
- Tesla
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Zoox Recalls Software After Autonomous Vehicles Cross Lane Lines
Zoox issued a voluntary software recall for 332 autonomous vehicles after identifying instances where the vehicles crossed center lane lines or blocked crosswalks. The issue, first observed on August 26, 2025, involved a robotaxi making a wide turn into an opposing lane. No collisions occurred, but the company acknowledged the risk and deployed software updates in November and December to correct the behavior. Zoox is in ongoing discussions with NHTSA about the incidents.
- Company involved
- Zoox
- AI system involved
- Zoox autonomous driving system
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Volkswagen Settles Class Action Over Front Assist Automatic Braking Defects
A class action lawsuit alleged that Volkswagen and Audi vehicles equipped with automatic emergency braking systems, including Volkswagen's Front Assist, can mistakenly activate sudden braking while driving, posing a safety hazard. The lawsuit, consolidated from four class actions, claimed the systems were defective. Volkswagen denied the claims but reached a settlement in January 2024, providing an extended warranty, partial reimbursement for past repairs, and additional information on system limitations. The settlement was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri.
- Company involved
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
- AI system involved
- Front Assist, Audi Braking Guard, Pre Sense Front, Audi Pre Sense City, Turn assist
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Tesla Model S on Autopilot crashes into stationary van on Swiss highway
A Tesla Model S owner in Switzerland was using the car's Autopilot and Adaptive Cruise Control on a highway when the system failed to detect a stationary van after the preceding vehicle changed lanes. The car accelerated slightly and collided with the van, causing front-end damage that required replacement of parts including a parking sensor and a steel beam. The driver acknowledged they could have reacted sooner but had grown to trust the system after many successful trips. Tesla's manual warns that the system may not brake for stationary vehicles in such situations.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Tesla Autopilot
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Waymo robotaxi and Serve delivery robot collide in Los Angeles
On December 27, 2024, a Waymo robotaxi and a Serve Robotics sidewalk delivery robot collided at an intersection in West Hollywood, Los Angeles. The Waymo vehicle was making a right turn when the Serve bot, under remote supervision, moved into the turning lane. The Waymo Driver system classified the bot as an inanimate object and applied hard braking, but made contact at 4 mph. Neither vehicle was damaged, and both companies stated they are working to avoid similar incidents in the future.
- Company involved
- Waymo and Serve Robotics
- AI system involved
- Waymo Driver and Serve delivery robot
1 source article · read the reporting →
Tesla Autopilot crashes into parked police SUV in Laguna Beach
On 29 May 2018, Dave Key's Tesla Model S, operating in Autopilot mode, drifted out of its lane and collided with a parked police SUV in Laguna Beach, California. No one was injured, but the car was written off. The crash was attributed to a known limitation of Tesla's AI, which struggled to distinguish stationary objects from the background. Key, a former software entrepreneur, later bought three more Teslas and used the Full Self-Driving beta.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Volvo self-driving car blinded by snow in Sweden test
During testing in Jokkmokk, Sweden, a Volvo self-driving XC90 SUV's radar sensors became caked with frozen flakes, rendering the vehicle unable to read the road. The incident highlighted the challenge of snow blindness for autonomous vehicles. Ford engineers later proposed a solution using lidar to create high-definition 3-D maps.
- Company involved
- Volvo Cars
- AI system involved
- self-driving XC90 SUV
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Waymo recalls robotaxi software after crash into telephone pole
On May 21, 2024, a Waymo autonomous vehicle crashed into a telephone pole in Phoenix, Arizona, while driving to a passenger pickup location. The vehicle was damaged but no one was injured. Waymo issued a voluntary recall and updated the software and mapping for its entire fleet of 672 vehicles to correct an error that assigned a low damage score to the pole and to improve the map.
- Company involved
- Waymo
- AI system involved
- Waymo autonomous vehicle
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Xpeng P7 Collides with Truck During NGP Assisted Driving, Driver Injured
On 23 September 2021, a Xpeng P7 owner in China was using the NGP automatic navigation assisted driving system when the vehicle failed to identify a flatbed truck ahead and collided with its rear. The driver, who trusted the system to brake automatically, sustained slight injuries. Xpeng Motors stated that the system's functions were operating normally before the crash and that further analysis would be conducted. Experts suggested the visual camera may have misjudged the distance due to the truck's unusual shape.
- Company involved
- Xpeng Motors
- AI system involved
- NGP automatic navigation assisted driving system
1 source article · read the reporting →
Tesla Recalls 360,000 Vehicles with Full Self-Driving Beta Over Crash Risk
Tesla is recalling more than 360,000 vehicles equipped with its Full Self-Driving Beta software after a government regulator found that the cars could proceed through intersections without stopping, posing a crash risk. The company said it would issue a remote software update to remedy the problem. The recall is a significant setback for Tesla's autonomous driving ambitions.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Full Self-Driving Beta
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Cruise driverless cars stall in San Francisco, blocking traffic after Outside Lands festival
As many as 10 Cruise autonomous vehicles became immobilized on Grant Avenue in North Beach on Friday night due to wireless connectivity issues caused by the Outside Lands music festival. The cars blocked traffic, and officials noted that emergency vehicles would not have been able to pass. Cruise apologised and said it is investigating solutions. The incident occurred a day after the California Public Utilities Commission approved expanded robotaxi operations in the city.
- Company involved
- Cruise
- AI system involved
- Cruise driverless cars
1 source article · read the reporting →
Tesla's Full Self-Driving beta includes assertive mode that may perform rolling stops
Tesla's Full Self-Driving beta software includes driving profiles, including an 'Assertive' mode that may perform rolling stops, follow cars more closely, and change lanes more frequently. The feature was included in an October 2021 update that was briefly pulled due to issues with left turns. In November 2021, a Tesla using FSD mode was involved in a crash that left the vehicle severely damaged.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Full Self-Driving (FSD) beta
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Tesla Full Self-Driving confused by truck carrying traffic lights
A Tesla vehicle using Full Self-Driving mode encountered a truck loaded with traffic lights. The system identified the traffic lights on the truck but was unable to determine the correct action, creating a confusing edge case. The incident was shared on social media, highlighting a limitation of the autonomous driving system.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Full Self-Driving
2 source articles · read the reporting →
German church launches BlessU-2 robot priest for automated blessings
The Evangelical Church in Hesse and Nassau launched a robot priest named BlessU-2 in Wittenberg, Germany, to give automated blessings to visitors. The robot, a metal box with a touch screen and arms, asks users if they want a blessing and then recites a biblical verse. Church spokesman Sebastian von Gehren said it is an experiment to inspire discussion and that the machine should not replace a pastor's blessing.
- Company involved
- Evangelical Church in Hesse and Nassau
- AI system involved
- BlessU-2
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Cruise driverless cars block traffic in San Francisco
On 22 May 2022, three driverless Cruise vehicles stopped in the middle of Masonic Avenue in San Francisco, blocking two lanes of traffic. The cars reportedly became confused and halted, causing disruption. The incident was shared on social media by a witness.
- Company involved
- Cruise
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Cruise autonomous vehicle briefly evades police traffic stop
On April 2, 2022, a driverless Cruise taxi in San Francisco was pulled over by police for driving without headlights. The vehicle initially drove away before stopping at a safe location, confusing officers. Cruise stated the car yielded as programmed and no citation was issued. The incident highlights challenges of autonomous vehicles interacting with law enforcement.
- Company involved
- Cruise
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Hackers trick Tesla Autopilot into veering into oncoming lane
Researchers at Tencent's Keen Security Lab demonstrated that stickers placed on a road could trick a Tesla Model S's Autopilot system into veering into the oncoming traffic lane. The attack exploited the system's reliance on camera-based computer vision to recognise lanes. Tesla responded that this vulnerability was unrealistic because a driver can easily override Autopilot, while saying a separate steering-wheel hijack had been fixed in a software update.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Delphi denies near-miss between its self-driving car and Google's autonomous vehicle
Delphi Automotive initially reported a near-miss between its self-driving Audi Q5 SUV and a Google Lexus RX400h in Palo Alto, California. A Delphi executive claimed Google's car cut off the Delphi vehicle, which took evasive action. However, Delphi later denied the incident, stating the vehicles were a lane width apart and that both cars performed correctly. Google also confirmed the cars behaved appropriately in an ordinary driving scenario.
- Company involved
- Delphi Automotive
- AI system involved
- Delphi self-driving car (Audi Q5 SUV)
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Tesla Autopilot stops for phantom stop sign on digital billboard
Researchers at Ben-Gurion University demonstrated that Tesla's Autopilot could be tricked into stopping for a split-second phantom stop sign displayed on a digital billboard. The system falsely detected the depthless object and applied the brakes in the middle of the road. The researchers disclosed their findings to Tesla and Mobileye. No actual accident occurred during the test.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Tesla Autopilot
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Google self-driving car hits bus in first crash in which it was at fault
On 14 February 2016, a Google self-driving car sideswiped a public bus in Mountain View, California, in the first crash in which one of Google's autonomous vehicles was considered at fault. Google said the vehicle had tried to move around sandbags and struck the bus, and that the company bore some responsibility. No injuries were reported. Google said it had updated the vehicle's software to account for buses and other large vehicles.
- Company involved
- Google
10 source articles · read the reporting →
