by Service Launch and First Incidents
On July 1, Tesla launched its long-awaited robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, joining competitors such as Waymo and Zoox. Many declared this a triumph for Elon Musk, viewing the event as the first step towards deploying a service intended to cover significant parts of the United States. However, new data has shown that Model Y vehicles equipped with the Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, which are already driving on the streets of Austin, have been involved in several accidents.
Accident Data
Recently published data, found by Forbes, contains information about at least three accidents dated July 1. Although it was initially believed that all of them occurred on the same day, it is now clear that the incidents happened on different days throughout that same month. Many details were edited by Tesla to protect confidential information, however, some basic details were disclosed.
Description of the First Accidents
The first accident was recorded at 3:45 AM on an unspecified date in July. Tesla’s description states that the Model Y
“was stopped (moving straight) and damaged on the rear right side by an SUV on the front right side. Police were called.”
The second collision was registered at 12:20 PM and is described as follows:
“Tesla collided with a stationary object on the front right side at a speed of 8 mph. Minor injuries, hospital not needed. Police were called. The Tesla was towed.”
In the third accident, which occurred at 3:15 PM,
“the rear right side of the Tesla made contact with the front right side of an SUV when the Tesla was making a right turn, moving at a speed of 2 mph. Police were not called.”
Difficulties with Robotaxis
It is believed that at least one more accident occurred in July but was not reported. Forbes notes that video footage showed one of the robotaxi’s tires hitting the front of a parked car in a parking lot. It is unclear why this accident was not included in the list, but it may have happened because the incident occurred on private property or because the damage was limited to tire marks.
Comparison with Competitors
It is unknown how many miles the vehicles involved in Tesla’s Austin robotaxi service have driven, but at the end of July, Elon Musk stated that they had accumulated about 7,000 miles of testing. For comparison, Waymo’s autonomous vehicles have covered over 96 million miles since their introduction several years ago.
Safety statistics also highlight the gap. ArsTechnica reports that in the first 50 million miles, Waymo recorded 60 serious accidents involving airbag deployment or injuries. Tesla’s figures in Austin, although still in the early stages, demonstrate how steep the learning curve can be.
These early incidents point to typical challenges faced by all autonomous vehicle developers during the deployment phase. The low speeds at which the collisions occurred and the minimal consequences may indicate that the safety systems are functioning at a basic level, preventing serious accidents. However, the vast difference in accumulated mileage between Tesla and players like Waymo, who have millions of miles of experience, clearly outlines the path that still lies ahead. The success of the service will depend not only on the technology but also on the company’s transparency in such situations and its ability to quickly improve the system based on the collected data.
