Asger Risom
New federal safety filings show Tesla’s robotaxis have crashed 14 times in roughly 800,000 miles — about four times more frequently than the average human driver, based on the company’s own data.
Tesla’s robotaxi fleet is crashing at a significantly higher rate than human drivers, according to newly updated federal safety filings — and that’s based only on the incidents the company has disclosed.
Fresh documents submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and reviewed by Electrek show Tesla has reported five additional crashes involving its “Robotaxis,” bringing the total to 14 documented collisions since the service launched in Austin, Texas, in June 2025.
The newly disclosed incidents occurred between December 2025 and January 2026. They include a collision with a fixed object at 17 miles per hour, a crash with a bus while the robotaxi was stationary, a low-speed crash with a truck, and two separate cases in which a Tesla reversed into a pole or tree.
Crash rate far exceeds human drivers
Using Tesla’s own mileage data from its Q4 2025 earnings, Electrek estimates the robotaxi fleet accumulated roughly 800,000 miles by mid-January. Dividing that figure by 14 crashes suggests one collision roughly every 57,000 miles.
By comparison, Tesla’s Vehicle Safety Report claims the average American driver experiences a minor crash once every 229,000 miles. Based on those figures, Tesla’s robotaxis are crashing at about four times the rate of human drivers.
The comparison with competitors is also stark. Waymo, which operates more than 2,000 fully driverless vehicles across multiple US cities, averages roughly one crash every 98,000 miles over more than 127 million fully autonomous miles.
Tesla’s robotaxi fleet, by contrast, reportedly consists of fewer than 50 vehicles operating in a limited area of Austin.
Reporting questions and delayed injury disclosure
The updated NHTSA filings also reveal that Tesla revised a July 2025 crash report months after the incident. Initially described as causing “property damage only,” the report was updated in December to reflect “Minor W/Hospitalization,” indicating someone was injured.
The delayed update adds to previous scrutiny from regulators. The NHTSA has investigated Tesla in the past for late crash reporting, with some incidents disclosed months after they occurred.
Tesla also routinely redacts key details from its crash filings — including narrative descriptions — citing “confidential business information.” According to Electrek, it is the only robotaxi company that consistently censors crash narratives in its NHTSA submissions.
While the company maintains that autonomous systems are designed to improve safety, the available data suggests its robotaxi program is not yet outperforming human drivers — and may be lagging behind competitors in both safety metrics and transparency.
Sources: Electrek, NHTSA
