Tesla Discloses Details of 17 Robotaxi Accidents…Including Accidents During Remote Control

Tesla Discloses Details of 17 Robotaxi Accidents…Including Accidents During Remote Control

It appears Tesla has somewhat eased its policy of non-disclosure, previously citing 'trade secrets'.

Tesla has disclosed the details of 17 robotaxi (self-driving taxi) accidents that occurred in Austin, Texas, USA.

According to accident reports posted on the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on the 16th (local time), Tesla re-reported 17 previously reported accidents, making the previously undisclosed circumstances of the accidents public.

Among the disclosed accidents, the most notable are two collisions that occurred after the intervention of a remote operator, not the autonomous driving system.

In July last year, a Tesla vehicle stopped on the right side of a road in Austin and could not move forward, so it requested assistance. A remote operator then took over control of the vehicle and, while operating it, drove over a curb and collided with a metal fence.

In January this year, a remote operator, after receiving an assistance request and controlling the vehicle, collided with a construction barricade at a speed of 9 miles per hour (approximately 15 km/h), damaging the left front wheel cover and tire.

Accidents that occurred while operating under the autonomous driving system were also included in the newly disclosed report.

In September last year, a dog suddenly ran in front of a vehicle that was driving straight, causing a collision. In the same month, an accident occurred when a vehicle, making an unprotected left turn, entered a parking lot and hit a metal chain.

In October last year, the side mirror of a vehicle passing through a residential road collided with a structure protruding into the road. In January this year, a reversing vehicle collided with a utility pole and a curb.

Most of the other accidents involved Tesla vehicles that were stopped or driving at low speeds colliding with vehicles following behind them.

Tesla had previously kept the details of most accident reports submitted to NHTSA confidential, citing trade secrets.

In this re-reporting, Tesla seems to have partially revised its non-disclosure policy, stating, "We have removed confidential and personally identifiable information so that the public can view the circumstances of the accidents."