The rate of accidents with Tesla's Autopilot engaged is much lower than the US average
SawyerMerritt/Twitter
Tesla just released its latest Vehicle Safety Report for the fourth quarter of 2022. It compares Autopilot safety using real-world data from its fleet of vehicles.
Stats Prove Safety
According to the report, Tesla cars with Autopilot turned on are much safer than cars driven by people. In Q4 2022, there was only one crash for every 4.85 million miles driven. According to the most recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), one crash happens every 652,000 miles for all other cars.
Tesla's passive safety features also make its vehicles over two times safer than other cars, even when Autopilot is not engaged, with one crash every 1.40 million miles. While the Q4 2022 data is lower than Q3 2022, where Tesla recorded one crash every 6.26 million miles with Autopilot, it is still above the same period last year, when there was one crash every 4.35 million miles in Q4 2021.
Fourth Quarter Dip
It's important to note that, historically, the fourth quarter of every year has been the lowest, mostly because there is less daylight and worse weather. Tesla seems to have started putting out these reports every three months again, like it did for many years until the end of 2021, when it suddenly stopped and didn't say why. The company restarted in January 2023, explaining that it was recalculating its stats after adjusting which metrics were included.
Overall, Tesla's Autopilot technology continues to outperform the national average in terms of safety, highlighting the company's commitment to producing the safest cars on the market. With its continued investment in advanced technology and safety features, Tesla is setting the bar for the future of driving.
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Tesla’s refreshed Model Y Performance has made another appearance on the famous Nürburgring racetrack, undergoing more high-speed testing. A new video from CarSpyMedia provides a clearer look at the upcoming Performance variant.
The Model Y was once again wrapped in the now-familiar white and black camouflage covering the entire vehicle as it was pushed hard on the track. Since the camo doesn’t obscure the design elements of the front and rear bumpers, we now have a better idea of the changes to the Model Y Performance over the AWD version.
Spoiler, Red Calipers, No Aero Ducts
It appears that this prototype was likely the same one that was previously spotted. This means we’re still expecting it to come with a longer spoiler, similar to the legacy Model Y Performance. That spoiler is likely to be made of carbon fiber and will likely also make its way to the Tesla store in the future as a cosmetic add-on. Tesla did something similar when it added the Alcantara dash trim to the Tesla Store, which was initially exclusive to the Launch Series Model Y.
Interestingly, Tesla isn’t including any aggressive-looking aero ducts on this Performance variant, unlike the Model 3 Performance’s unique front fascia. Instead, it appears the red calipers have made a return, which means that Tesla will be bringing larger, performance-tuned brakes to the vehicle.
Oddly, the rear right brake caliper cover was the only one that wasn’t painted red, but this could have been caused by Tesla engineers working on the vehicle while it was on the track.
Tesla is likely focused on the adaptive and actively-damped suspension rather than any particular aerodynamic improvements. We expect Tesla to include an adaptive suspension system similar to the one introduced with the Model 3 Performance. These adaptive suspensions can adjust to driver and road input in real-time with adaptive damping.
Consistent with previous sightings, it appears that Tesla is still equipping this vehicle with new alloy wheels that resemble the Model S’ classic Arachnid wheels, finished in a sleek-looking matte grey.
We expect Tesla to introduce the new Performance Model Y in the upcoming months, so keep a close eye out if you’re in the market for a faster, slightly sleeker Model Y.
In one of the most concrete steps toward officially launching its Robotaxi network, Tesla has now been listed as a “Known AV Operator” on the City of Austin’s website. The listing appeared yesterday and lists Tesla among other autonomous vehicle operators such as Waymo (Google), Zoox (Amazon), and others.
This also echoes Musk’s recent comments that the Robotaxi program is running ahead of schedule.
Green Light
This is the first indication that Tesla is moving beyond its internal phases, as Musk has stated that Tesla has already been running vehicles in Austin without anyone in the driver's seat. However, there was a driver in the passenger seat to intervene if needed.
The status on Austin’s site lists Tesla as “Testing,” the same status used for most of the other operators. The only other operators not listed as testing are Motional, which is listed as Mapping, and Waymo, which is listed as ‘Deployment.’ We’ll be sure to keep a close eye on this to see when Tesla’s status changes to deployed.
This addition to Austin’s website is the bureaucratic green light many have been waiting for, confirming that Tesla has been working with local transportation authorities to meet the necessary requirements to be recognized as a permitted AV operator.
Reporting Incidents
The City of Austin’s website also has autonomous vehicles report incidents if a vehicle blocks traffic, has a collision, or even a near miss. The website features a dynamic map, with each incident marked, and it even allows you to filter incidents by year or company. This will be another piece of information to keep an eye on to see how Tesla does in their initial phase.
What to Expect from the Initial Launch
With the official acknowledgment from the city, the focus now shifts to what the initial Robotaxi service will look like. Based on details shared by Elon, the initial rollout is expected to be a measured, deliberate deployment rather than a city-wide free-for-all. That means a small fleet of 10 Model Ys in the first week, which will slowly expand on a week-by-week basis.
Tesla will have human teleoperators on standby at its Giga Texas operations hub to help out if a vehicle gets stuck or has an incident. For the most part, these operators are expected to simply watch and observe, rather than actually taking the reins.
With the launch potentially days away, the addition of Tesla to the official list of AV Operators in Austin is a check in the box that all systems are a ‘go’ for Robotaxi.
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