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 →
NHTSA investigation PE24016: Unexpected ADS behavior
Waymo's automated driving system exhibited unexpected behavior during driving.
- Company involved
- Waymo
1 source article · 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 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 →
Cruise Self-Driving Car Rear-Ended by Human-Driven Cruise Vehicle in San Francisco
On 11 June 2018, a self-driving Cruise Chevrolet Bolt was rear-ended by another Cruise vehicle driven by a human employee on Bryant Street in San Francisco. The collision caused only minor scuffs and no injuries. Cruise reported the incident to the California DMV as required. The incident highlights the challenges of autonomous vehicles interacting with human drivers.
- Company involved
- Cruise
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Tesla Autopilot Failed to Brake, Killing 15-Year-Old, Family Alleges
In August 2019, a Tesla Model 3 on Autopilot rear-ended a Ford Explorer pickup on a California freeway, killing 15-year-old Jovani Maldonado. Data shows neither the system nor the driver braked until a fraction of a second before impact. The family has filed a lawsuit alleging Autopilot is defective and failed to react to traffic. Tesla has denied responsibility, blaming the driver's inattention.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
2 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 →
Google and Delphi Self-Driving Cars Involved in Minor Accidents in California
Four self-driving cars in California have been involved in accidents since September 2014, when the state began issuing testing permits. Two occurred while the cars were in autonomous mode, and two while a human was driving. Google and Delphi, the companies operating the vehicles, stated that their cars were not at fault and that the collisions were minor, with no injuries. The accidents have raised concerns about transparency, as details are kept confidential under state law.
- Company involved
- Google Inc. and Delphi Automotive
10 source articles · 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 →
Tesla Model Y crash, 1 killed, Autopilot verified: Pedestrian hit on shoulder
A Tesla Model Y struck and killed a pedestrian changing a tire on the shoulder of a highway.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
1 source article · read the reporting →
Beep automated bus rear-ended by Tesla in Washington D.C.
An automated bus operated by Beep was rear-ended by a Tesla driver making an illegal lane change in Washington D.C. on 18 January 2026. The bus, part of a pilot programme with the U.S. Department of Transportation, had a human backup driver and sustained minor cosmetic damage. Service was temporarily paused but resumed after a review found the bus operated appropriately. No police were called and the incident was not reported to NHTSA as the damage was under $1,000 and the other driver was at fault.
- Company involved
- Beep
- AI system involved
- Beep automated bus
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Tesla Model S crash, 2 killed, Autopilot verified: Tesla hits parked tractor-trailer
The Tesla Autopilot system failed to detect a parked tractor-trailer, causing a collision that killed two occupants.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
1 source article · read the reporting →
Waymo Self-Driving Taxis Crash into Backwards-Towed Pickup in Phoenix
On 11 December 2023, two Waymo autonomous vehicles collided with a pickup truck being towed backwards in Phoenix, Arizona. The vehicles were operating without passengers and sustained minor damage, with no injuries reported. Waymo attributed the crashes to a software error that mispredicted the towed vehicle's motion and subsequently deployed a fix. The company filed a voluntary recall report with the NHTSA.
- Company involved
- Waymo
- AI system involved
- Waymo Driver
3 source articles · read the reporting →
VIDEO: Wayward Waymo runs red light at major intersection near Universal Orlando - WKMG
The Waymo van entered an intersection against a red light, endangering cross traffic and pedestrians.
- Company involved
- Waymo
1 source article · read the reporting →
Buena Vista Crash Killed 82-Year-Old — Tesla Records Show Driver-Assist Was On - Hoodline
The Tesla driver-assist system ran a stop sign and struck a Honda Civic, killing its driver, Stephen Field.
- Company involved
- Tesla
1 source article · read the reporting →
Lawsuit says Tesla Autopilot missed a curve before a fatal Model X crash
The Autopilot system missed a curve, causing a fatal crash for the driver.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
1 source article · read the reporting →
NHTSA investigation PE25012: Traffic safety violations while Full Self Driving ("FSD") is engaged
The system made driving decisions that violated traffic safety laws, affecting other road users.
- Company involved
- Tesla, Inc.
- AI system involved
- Full Self Driving (FSD)
1 source article · read the reporting →
Tesla Full Self-Driving involved in fatal pedestrian crash in Arizona
In November 2023, a Tesla Model Y with Full Self-Driving engaged struck and killed 71-year-old Johna Story on Interstate 17 in Arizona. The system failed to brake due to sun glare, according to footage obtained by Bloomberg. The victim's family has sued Tesla and the driver. NHTSA is investigating whether the system poses an unacceptable safety risk.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Full Self-Driving
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Tesla driver dies after vehicle stops on highway while using FSD/Autopilot
一名特斯拉司機在高速公路上因車輛突然停下而身亡，當時他正在使用FSD/自動駕駛系統 - Moomoo
A 43-year-old Tesla Model 3 driver was killed when his vehicle stopped in a travel lane on Interstate 4 and was rear-ended by a semi-truck. Florida Highway Patrol could not explain why the car stopped, but Tesla’s own filing confirms that the driver-assistance system was engaged and the car was stopped at 0 mph. Tesla has redacted key data, including the software version and event details, in its report to NHTSA.
- Company involved
- Tesla, Inc.
- AI system involved
- Autopilot / Full Self-Driving (FSD)
1 source article · read the reporting →
Woman Blindly Trusts Driver Assistance, Rear-Ends Lane-Changing Bus on Highway
女子轻信辅助驾驶放任不管 高速上直接追尾变道大巴车 - 驱动之家
On August 28, on the Shanghai-Kunming Expressway, a woman driving an SUV with driver assistance engaged rear-ended a bus that suddenly changed lanes. She assumed the system would brake automatically and took no action. The bus driver was found at fault for the lane change, but police warned against over-reliance on driver assistance.
1 source article · read the reporting →
Investigation probes autopilot failure after fatal Tesla accident in the United States
Investigação apura falha no piloto automático após acidente fatal com Tesla nos Estados Unidos - dfmobilidade.com.br
A fatal crash involving a Tesla Model 3 occurred at an intersection in Buena Vista Township, New Jersey. Authorities are investigating a possible failure of the Autopilot system and whether it was active at the time, adding to scrutiny of Tesla's driver-assistance technology.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
1 source article · read the reporting →
Sibuxiang Genuine + Genuine Sibuxiang: Tesla Autopilot in Another Accident, Owner Says System Failed to Recognize Construction Barriers, Causing Rear-End…
四不像正版+正版四不像特斯拉自动驾驶再出事故，车主称系统未识别施工路障致追尾 - Pchome电脑之家
A Tesla owner reported that the vehicle's Autopilot system did not detect construction barriers, leading to a rear-end collision. The incident was reported by Pchome.
- Company involved
- Tesla
- AI system involved
- Autopilot
1 source article · read the reporting →
Ford BlueCruise crash in Philadelphia kills two, injures one
On March 3, 2024, a Ford Mustang Mach-E operating in hands-free partial automation mode (BlueCruise) collided with stationary vehicles in a work zone on I-95 in Philadelphia. The system recorded a speed of 72.4 mph with no braking or steering before impact. The drivers of the two stationary vehicles died, and the Ford driver was injured. The NTSB determined the probable cause to be driver impairment and distraction due to overreliance on automation, as well as Ford's inadequate integration of speed management with the automation system.
- Company involved
- Ford Motor Company
- AI system involved
- BlueCruise
9 source articles · read the reporting →
