Even with remote operator control, accidents raise controversy over Tesla robotaxi

Staff Reporter: PNN

Tesla has once again come under discussion regarding its autonomous driving technology. Since July 2025, at least two accidents involving the company’s robotaxi service have been reported, where crashes occurred while remote operators were controlling the vehicles.

New information submitted to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveals these incidents. The accidents occurred in Austin, Texas, and in both cases the vehicles were moving at low speed. Although a safety monitor was present inside the vehicle, there were no passengers.

According to the information, in July 2025 Tesla’s autonomous driving system struggled after stopping on a road and failed to move forward. The safety monitor then contacted the remote assistance team. Eventually, a remote operator took control of the vehicle and, while driving it, collided with a metal fence on the roadside curb.

A similar incident occurred in January 2026. In that case too, when the autonomous system faced difficulties, a remote operator took control of the vehicle, after which it hit a construction site barrier, damaging the front of the car.

Tesla’s data also shows that in several other incidents, robotaxi vehicles had minor collisions with other vehicles. In one case, a dog suddenly entered the road and the vehicle could not avoid it, although the animal reportedly ran away afterward.

In another incident, a robotaxi hit a metal chain while turning in a parking area. Earlier investigations had already examined Tesla’s autonomous software due to its tendency to collide with parking lot barriers, gates, or chains.

According to analysts, these disclosures may raise new questions about the safety of Tesla’s robotaxi project. Although Tesla has fewer accidents compared to some competitors, its operational scale is also relatively limited.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently said that ensuring maximum safety is the biggest challenge for rapidly expanding the robotaxi network. He also stated that the company is proceeding very cautiously.