Tesla Reports Remote Operators Drove Two Robotaxis Into Objects

Tesla has released new details about 17 robotaxi incidents that occurred between July 2025 and March 2026. The information was added to a federal database maintained by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The company reported that remote operators drove the autonomous vehicles in at least two of the crashes.

Both incidents took place in Austin with safety monitors seated in the passenger seats and no passengers aboard. The vehicles were traveling below 10 miles per hour at the time of impact. In the first case, from July 2025, a remote operator drove the robotaxi up a curb and into a metal fence at 8 mph after the safety monitor requested assistance because the car had stopped and would not proceed.

The safety monitor sustained minor injuries but did not require hospitalization. In the second incident, from January 2026, a remote operator took control at the safety monitor's request for navigation help and drove the vehicle into a temporary construction barricade at 9 mph.

The crash caused scrapes to the robotaxi's front left fender and tire, but the company reported no injuries. The details were first reported by TechCrunch. Tesla does not have a public relations team and did not respond to a request for comment. The reports highlight the role of remote operators who monitor and sometimes directly control autonomous vehicles when they encounter difficulties.

All U.S. self-driving operators maintain remote teams. Tesla allows its remote workers to drive the vehicles directly more often than some competitors. Other companies generally limit remote input to suggestions that the autonomous system can accept or reject.

One independent researcher said the incidents raise questions about what the teleoperator can see in both coverage and resolution, and what kind of latency they are experiencing while driving. Safety advocates have questioned remote driving because of potential issues with cellular connectivity and the need for remote drivers to have a complete view of the vehicle's surroundings.

Tesla's robotaxi service operates in Austin, Dallas and Houston with fewer than 100 vehicles in total. Less than half of the cars operate without a safety monitor in the passenger seat. Reuters reported this week that wait times in Houston and Dallas, where the service launched in April, can exceed 35 minutes.

In Austin, where the service has operated longer, robotaxis have sometimes been unavailable. The company is required by law to report certain crashes to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration database. It is not clear why the additional details about the Tesla incidents appeared in the database at this time.

In a separate incident reported in the database, a Tesla robotaxi made contact with a dog in September and pushed it into the path of an approaching van. The dog later appeared behind the van and was seen running away from the street. Tesla has focused on autonomous vehicles and robotics.

The company's chief executive has tied compensation targets to vehicle and robot deliveries, sales of self-driving subscriptions and the number of robotaxis in commercial operation.