Tesla has reported 14 robotaxi crash incidents in Austin since launching its limited service in June. The data was submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration under federal reporting rules for automated driving systems. Early operations started with a small fleet and human safety monitors. The first reported crash happened in July and initially involved only property damage. Later filings showed that minor injuries and hospital treatment resulted from that incident. Another July crash also caused minor injuries.
Reports filed in January added five more incidents from late 2025 and early 2026. One incident involved a stopped robotaxi and an Austin city bus. Two others occurred when vehicles reversed into objects in parking areas. Tesla began offering fully driverless rides in a small number of vehicles during January, though reports did not confirm whether those cars were involved in crashes.
The company provides limited details in filings and often removes narrative descriptions, making full analysis difficult. Elon Musk has tied Tesla’s future growth to autonomy and robotics as EV sales pressure increases. Meanwhile, rival Waymo operates thousands of vehicles across several cities and has also reported many incidents. Tesla currently runs robotaxi rides only in Austin but plans expansion to more cities later this year.
