According to updated filings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Tesla’s Robotaxi service has logged five additional crashes in Austin since December. The incidents bring the total number of documented accidents to 14 since the autonomous fleet launched in June 2025.
Electrek analyzed the crash data against Tesla’s reported mileage figures and found the self-driving vehicles are involved in accidents roughly four times more often than human drivers.
The latest crashes show a concerning pattern of basic operational failures.
One Robotaxi hit a stationary object at 17mph. Another collided with a city bus while parked. A third struck a delivery truck at 4mph during what should have been a routine maneuver.
Two separate incidents involved Robotaxis backing into trees – a type of accident that highlights potential issues with the vehicles’ rear-facing sensors and spatial awareness systems.
Tesla also revised its report on a July 2025 crash that was initially classified as “property damage only.” The updated filing now lists the incident as “Minor W/Hospitalisation” – meaning someone required medical treatment.
Safety Data Raises Questions
Tesla reported approximately 800,000 autonomous miles driven through mid-January in its Q4 earnings call. With 14 total crashes, that’s one accident every 57,000 miles of operation.
Human drivers average one accident every 229,000 miles according to Tesla’s own Vehicle Safety Report published annually since 2018.
The comparison becomes more stark when measured against Waymo’s autonomous operations. Google’s self-driving division has accumulated over 127 million driverless miles across Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles with crashes occurring roughly every 98,000 miles.
Tesla’s Austin fleet consists of just 41 modified Model Y vehicles operating in a single metropolitan area.
Transparency Concerns Mount
NHTSA has previously opened investigations into Tesla’s crash reporting practices. The agency cited delays in filing required safety reports and incomplete accident descriptions in official documentation.
Tesla’s latest filings contain heavily redacted sections that remove key details about crash circumstances and vehicle behavior leading up to each incident.
The timing couldn’t be worse for the company’s autonomous vehicle ambitions.
Tesla reported a 3% revenue decline year-over-year in Q4 2025, along with a 16% drop in overall vehicle deliveries. The company recently discontinued its Model S sedan and Model X SUV, leaving only the Model 3 and Model Y in production.
CEO Elon Musk has repeatedly stated that Tesla’s future depends on achieving full self-driving capability and expanding robotics applications rather than developing new passenger car models.
The mounting safety concerns around Robotaxi operations could complicate those plans as regulators and the public scrutinize the technology’s readiness for widespread deployment.
