Tesla's robotaxi service recorded 17 crashes in Austin, Texas, between July 2025 and March 2026, according to federal data reviewed by CBS News. The service launched in the city in June 2025 and drew regulatory attention within weeks of its debut.

The severity of most incidents was limited. Of the recorded crashes, 13 resulted in property damage only, two involved no injuries, one produced a minor injury without hospitalization, and one resulted in a minor injury that required hospital treatment. The distribution shows a concentration of low-severity events rather than serious harm across the testing period.

Regulatory scrutiny followed quickly. Only weeks after the service began, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into incidents in which robotaxis were filmed driving erratically, including operating on the wrong side of the road and braking abruptly. Federal regulators later examined why Tesla had repeatedly failed to promptly report crashes involving its self-driving technology as required.

The data arrives amid broader oversight of autonomous vehicles. Waymo, owned by Alphabet, recalled more than 1,200 driverless vehicles over software that caused them to strike roadway barriers, and representatives of both companies faced congressional questioning over their safety records. The crash figures provide a documented baseline as regulators weigh how to oversee a technology that is expanding across multiple U.S. cities.

Source: CBS News -- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tesla-robotaxi-austin-14-crashes-nhtsa/