Tesla's ADAS crashes hit record 207 in a single month, NHTSA data shows
Electrek's analysis of NHTSA's Standing General Order data found Tesla reported 207 Autopilot and FSD crashes in May 2026 alone — a new monthly record that already exceeds all of 2021 combined (157). Tesla redacts nearly every crash narrative and even the software-version field, making it impossible to tell Autopilot and FSD crashes apart from the public data.
Since 2021, NHTSA's Standing General Order has required automakers to report crashes where an advanced driver-assistance system was engaged within roughly 30 seconds of impact and that meet a severity threshold — an airbag deployment, a tow-away, an injury, a fatality, or a struck pedestrian or cyclist. Electrek's July 22 analysis of that dataset found Tesla logged 207 Autopilot and FSD crashes in May 2026, the highest single-month total on record.
That one month alone tops all of 2021 combined (157 crashes), underscoring how fast Tesla's reported crash volume has climbed. Across the full SGO file, Tesla now accounts for 3,763 unique driver-assist crashes — roughly 85% of the entire industry's ADAS reports.
Transparency is the sticking point. Tesla redacts almost every crash narrative and even blacks out the software-version field, so the public data can't distinguish Autopilot crashes from FSD crashes at all. Electrek notes that high-volume peers like GM, Ford, Honda, and Toyota redact essentially none of their narratives.
The disclosure lands just as Tesla faces an NHTSA probe into FSD crashes in low-visibility conditions, adding pressure on regulators to demand more from the company's crash data even as Tesla pushes ahead with wider FSD rollout and Robotaxi expansion.
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