Tesla Autopilot tricked into speeding by electrical tape on sign
Researchers from McAfee Labs demonstrated that a two-inch piece of black electrical tape stuck on a 35 mph speed limit sign can cause the Traffic Aware Cruise Control in older Tesla Model S and X vehicles to misread the sign as 85 mph and automatically accelerate. The vulnerability affects vehicles using the MobilEye EyeQ3 camera system (Hardware Pack 1). The driver can override by braking. Tesla and MobilEye were informed but did not commit to fixing the issue.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Tesla Autopilot (Hardware Pack 1 with MobilEye EyeQ3)
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Tesla changed Sentry Mode after Dutch privacy investigation
Tesla's Sentry Mode security cameras recorded passersby without their consent, storing footage for long periods. The Dutch Data Protection Authority investigated and Tesla subsequently required owner approval and added headlight alerts. No fine was issued.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Sentry Mode
8 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 →
NHTSA investigates Detroit Tesla crash that critically injured passenger
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating a violent crash on March 11 in Detroit involving a Tesla sedan and a semi-truck. The car became wedged under the trailer, leaving a passenger in critical condition. Investigators have not yet determined whether Tesla's Autopilot, Full Self-Driving or FSD beta systems were engaged. The NHTSA has launched a Special Crash Investigation team to probe the incident.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
9 source articles · read the reporting →
NHTSA investigates Tesla Autopilot over 11 crashes with first responder vehicles
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into Tesla's Autopilot system after identifying 11 crashes in which Tesla vehicles collided with first responder vehicles. In each incident, the vehicles were confirmed to have Autopilot or Traffic-Aware Cruise Control engaged. Most crashes occurred after dark and involved scene control measures such as lights, flares, and road cones. NHTSA will assess the system's ability to monitor driver engagement and handle emergency scenes.
- Company involved
- Tesla Inc.
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
10 source articles · read the reporting →
California bill targets Tesla's Full Self-Driving name as misleading
The California legislature passed a bill that would require Tesla to stop using the term 'Full Self-Driving' for its driver-assistance system, following a complaint from the California DMV. The bill alleges that the name is misleading because the system still requires constant driver supervision and is not fully autonomous. The bill now awaits Governor Gavin Newsom's signature.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Full Self-Driving (FSD)
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Tesla Model S on Autopilot crashes into fire truck at 65 mph, no injury
A Tesla Model S crashed into a fire truck in Culver City, California, on 22 January 2018. The driver told firefighters the vehicle was on Autopilot. No one was injured. Tesla said Autopilot requires a fully attentive driver.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Tesla Model X on Autopilot crashes into police car, injuring five officers
On February 27, 2021, a Tesla Model X operating on Autopilot crashed into a stationary police vehicle on a highway near Montgomery County, Texas, injuring five officers and hospitalizing the subject of a traffic stop. The driver was intoxicated and the system had alerted him 150 times to apply force to the steering wheel. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating the incident, along with 15 other similar crashes involving Teslas and emergency vehicles.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Tesla Model 3 crash with truck kills driver using partial automation
At 6:17 a.m. on March 1, 2019, a Tesla Model 3 operating with partial driving automation struck a semitrailer in Delray Beach, Florida, killing the 50-year-old driver. The NTSB determined the probable cause was the truck driver's failure to yield right of way combined with the car driver's inattention due to overreliance on the automation, with Tesla's system design allowing disengagement as a contributing factor.
- Company involved
- Tesla
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Tesla Model 3 crashes into tow truck on Autopilot in Moscow
A Tesla Model 3 crashed into a stationary tow truck on a highway near Moscow while reportedly on Autopilot. The driver, Alexey Tretyakov, and his two children were injured and taken to hospital. The vehicle caught fire and exploded. Police believe the Autopilot system failed to recognize the tow truck. The driver confirmed he was using Autopilot at the time.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Tesla's Full Self-Driving involved in fatal Bay Bridge crash
On Thanksgiving 2022, a Tesla vehicle using its Full Self-Driving feature was involved in a fatal accident on the San Francisco Bay Bridge. Footage published by The Intercept showed the system braking abruptly. The incident highlights safety concerns with autonomous driving technology.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Full Self-Driving
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Driver relying on "smart driving" on highway crashes after system suddenly disengages near truck
司机依赖“智驾 ”跑高速，逼近大货车时“智驾”突然退出引发车祸 - 手机新浪网
A driver was using a smart driving system on an expressway. As the vehicle approached a large truck, the system unexpectedly disengaged, leading to a crash.
1 source article · read the reporting →
Tesla Autopilot accidents and data leak suggest larger problems
Tesla is facing numerous lawsuits over its Autopilot driver assistance system, which has been involved in accidents. Internal data leaked to Handelsblatt suggests the company has larger technical problems than previously known. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating. Tesla has dismissed the data leak as theft.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Tesla Cybertruck on Full Self-Driving swerves into oncoming traffic
A Tesla Cybertruck with Full Self-Driving (FSD) activated attempted to turn left into a driveway while an SUV approached from the opposite direction, nearly causing a head-on collision. The driver seized control and avoided the crash. The owner reported the incident on a forum, expressing concern about using FSD again. No injuries or damage occurred.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Full Self-Driving (FSD)
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Tesla Cybertruck owner sues over FSD crash in Houston overpass
Justine Saint Amour is suing Tesla after her Cybertruck, with Full Self-Driving engaged, crashed into a concrete barrier on a Houston overpass on August 18, 2025. The lawsuit alleges that Tesla was negligent in hiring and retaining Elon Musk as CEO, and that the FSD system was defective due to lack of LiDAR and ineffective automatic emergency braking. Saint Amour seeks over $1 million in damages.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Full Self-Driving (FSD)
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Consumer Reports finds Tesla Autopilot operates without driver
Consumer Reports engineers tested a Tesla Model Y on a closed track and found that the Autopilot system could operate the vehicle without anyone in the driver's seat, failing to warn or detect the absence of a driver. The test highlighted a safety flaw as investigators probed a fatal crash in Texas where two men died in a Tesla Model S believed to be operating without a driver. Tesla did not respond to a request for comment.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Tesla on Autopilot Crashes into Overturned Truck on Taiwan Highway
On 1 June 2020, a Tesla sedan with Autopilot engaged failed to detect an overturned delivery truck on National Highway 1 in Taiwan and collided with it. The driver, a 53-year-old man, had set the system to 110 km/h and assumed it would avoid obstacles, but he braked too late. The truck driver, who was standing on the highway after his own accident, narrowly avoided being struck. No serious injuries were reported, and police are investigating the cause, with possible factors including the truck's unusual shape and the system's limitation to detecting only moving vehicles.
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Tesla Model Y crash, 1 killed, Autopilot verified: Tesla crosses into incoming traffic, hit, and spins off road
The Tesla's Autopilot system steered the vehicle into oncoming traffic, causing a collision that killed a 12-year-old and injured five others.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
1 source article · read the reporting →
Tesla Driver Passed Out Drunk on Bay Bridge Claims Autopilot Was in Control
On 19 January 2018, a Tesla driver was found passed out behind the wheel on the San Francisco Bay Bridge with a blood alcohol content over twice the legal limit. The driver told California Highway Patrol officers that the vehicle had been set on Autopilot. The driver was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, and the car was towed. No accident or injuries occurred, and Tesla did not confirm whether Autopilot was engaged.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Tesla Full Self-Driving system fails to recognise train, driver intervenes
A Tesla owner in Ohio reported that his car in Full Self-Driving mode attempted to drive into a crossing train on May 8, 2024. The driver took control and avoided a collision, but the car hit the crossing arm causing damage. The driver said it was the second such incident in six months. Tesla did not respond to requests for comment.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Full Self-Driving (FSD)
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Father Sues Tesla After Son's Fatal Autopilot Crash in China
In January 2016, Gao Yaning died when his Tesla Model S crashed into a road sweeper on a highway in Hebei, China. His father, Gao Jubin, alleges the car was using Autopilot, which failed to detect the stationary truck and did not brake. Jubin filed a lawsuit against Tesla, accusing the company of exaggerating Autopilot's capabilities, and the case remains ongoing. Tesla has stated that it is cooperating with the investigation and that the system functioned as designed.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Tesla Model 3 crash, 1 killed, Autopilot verified: Tesla collides with pickup
The vehicle's Autopilot system drove into oncoming traffic, causing a collision that killed the driver and injured two passengers in another vehicle.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
1 source article · read the reporting →
Tesla Model 3 crash, 1 killed, Autopilot verified: Tesla falls from height
The vehicle drove off the road and fell from a height, killing the driver.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
1 source article · read the reporting →
Tesla Model X on Autopilot hits crash attenuator in Mountain View, killing driver
On 23 March 2018, a Tesla Model X P100D operating with Autopilot hit a damaged crash attenuator on US Highway 101 in Mountain View, California, killing the driver. The NTSB found that Autopilot steered the vehicle into a highway gore area because of system limitations, and that the driver was distracted and over-reliant on the partial driving automation. Two other vehicles were struck; one driver sustained minor injuries.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
9 source articles · read the reporting →
