Tesla’s autonomous vehicle division has disclosed that two robotaxi crashes involved remote teleoperators controlling the vehicles from afar, according to newly unredacted safety data submitted to federal regulators.
TechCrunch reports that Tesla Robotaxis experienced at least two crashes while being remotely controlled by teleoperators, according to information recently revealed in documents submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Both incidents occurred in Austin, Texas, at low speeds, with safety monitors present in the vehicles and no passengers onboard.
The disclosure comes after Tesla previously redacted crash descriptions in its NHTSA submissions, claiming the information constituted confidential business information. However, the company reversed course this week, allowing the agency to release narrative descriptions for all 17 crashes recorded since Tesla began operating its Robotaxi network last year.
The first incident occurred in July 2025, shortly after Tesla launched its autonomous ride-hailing service in Austin. According to the report, the automated driving system encountered difficulty moving forward while stopped on a street. The safety monitor requested assistance from Tesla’s remote operations team, and a teleoperator assumed control of the vehicle. The teleoperator gradually increased the vehicle’s speed and attempted a left turn toward the left side of the street, but ended up driving over the curb and colliding with a metal fence.
A second crash followed a similar pattern in January 2026. While the Tesla automated driving system was navigating the vehicle straight along a street, the safety monitor requested support for vehicle navigation. After the teleoperator took control while the vehicle was stopped, they proceeded to drive straight on the street. The Tesla vehicle then struck a temporary construction barricade at approximately nine miles per hour, causing damage to the front-left fender and tire.
Tesla had previously informed lawmakers that the company permits remote operators to control vehicles traveling under 10 miles per hour. Elon Musk’s EV giant claims this capability allows it to quickly relocate vehicles in compromising positions without waiting for first responders or field representatives to manually recover them.
The newly unredacted data reveals additional incidents beyond the teleoperator-involved crashes. In September 2025, a Tesla Robotaxi’s automated driving system failed to avoid a dog that ran into the street, though Tesla reported the animal was able to run away after the collision. Another September incident involved a Tesla Robotaxi making an unprotected left turn into a parking lot and striking a metal chain.
The data also shows that at least two crashes involved Tesla Robotaxis clipping their mirrors on other vehicles. Similar to experiences reported by competing autonomous vehicle companies like Waymo, most of the other crashes involved Tesla Robotaxis being struck by other vehicles rather than causing the collisions themselves.
The NHTSA recently closed an investigation into Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software occasionally crashing into parking lot bollards, chains, and gates. Waymo issued a recall last year addressing a similar problem with its autonomous vehicles.
Tesla, like other companies developing autonomous vehicle technology, must submit detailed crash information to the NHTSA. However, unlike most competitors, Tesla had consistently redacted crash descriptions in previous submissions until this week’s release.
While companies such as Waymo and Zoox have reported more total crashes than Tesla, Elon Musk’s company operates at a significantly smaller scale. The newly revealed details may provide insight into why Tesla has been cautious about expanding its autonomous ride-hailing network. Last month, Musk acknowledged that ensuring complete safety represents the biggest limiting factor for expanding the network. “Making sure things are completely safe” is constraining growth, he said, adding that the company is being “very cautious” in its approach.
Read more at TechCrunch here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of AI, free speech, and online censorship.
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