Tesla's Autopilot Crash: 150 Warnings and a Devastating Crash Caught on Video

The driver behind the wheel of the Tesla was warned more than 150 times

WSJ

A violent crash involving a Tesla Model X, which injured five police officers and another individual, should've never happened for a number of reasons, including the 150 warnings issued by the car's Autopilot system to the allegedly intoxicated driver. Despite these multiple alerts to take control of the vehicle, the crash still occurred. This incident has put driver responsibility, technological oversight, and how automated driving systems impact road safety in the spotlight.

The Incident Detail

The incident took place on February 27, 2021, in Montgomery County, Texas, where a 2019 Tesla Model X struck a police vehicle at 54 mph while the Autopilot system was engaged. The Wall Street Journal investigation, which obtained video footage from the car, revealed that the driver received 150 warnings over a 34-minute time span.

In the critical moments before the crash, Autopilot detected the police car 37 yards away, or 2.5 seconds before impact. It initially tried to stop and disengaged, expecting an alert driver to take over. Unfortunately, the collision was unavoidable at that point.

Footage of Accident

Autopilot's Function and Driver Responsibility

Tesla's Autopilot system, programmed to handle many driving tasks, expects the driver to stay alert and ready to take over. Looking for subtle torque forces on the steering wheel, it can check whether the driver's hands are where they should be.

The incident raised serious concerns over how effectively the Autopilot system monitors the driver's attentiveness. Though the system warned the driver 150 times, the driver could apply just enough torque to keep Autopilot engaged.

Tesla asserts that the fault lies with the driver, pointing out that the system worked as designed. However, critics argue that 150 warnings within a half-hour signal a clear failure in driver monitoring. This incident prompts questions about whether the vehicle should have a mechanism to pull over if the driver is unresponsive.

Legal Implications

The injured officers are suing Tesla for damages, alleging that Tesla has not adequately addressed issues with the Autopilot system. The incident has also become part of a broader investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into similar crashes.

Tesla has since updated its Autopilot software, including internal cameras in newer models to detect driver alertness. But the debate continues about how automated systems and human drivers should interact to prevent accidents like this.

The crash underscores the complexity and urgency of the questions surrounding automated driving systems. While advancements like Tesla's Autopilot are undoubtedly transforming the driving experience, they are also revealing new challenges that society must address.

As technology continues to evolve, clear guidelines, robust monitoring systems, and a shared understanding of human and machine responsibilities must be developed. The incident serves as a sobering reminder that technology, no matter how advanced, can be impacted by human error.

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Tesla FSD in Europe: June Update

Not a Tesla App

The road to bringing FSD to Europe has been a long and complex one and filled with regulatory and bureaucratic hurdles. Elon Musk, as well as other members of Tesla’s AI team, have previously voiced their grievances with the regulatory approval process on X.

However, it appears that there is finally some progress in getting things moving with recent changes to upcoming autonomy regulations, but the process still seems slow.

Waiting on the Dutch

Elon commented on X recently, stating that Tesla is waiting for approval from Dutch authorities and then the EU to start rolling out FSD in Europe. Tesla is focusing on acquiring approvals from the Dutch transportation authority, which will provide them with the platform they need to gain broader acceptance in Europe. Outside of the Netherlands, Tesla is also conducting testing in Norway, which provides a couple of avenues for them to obtain national-level approval.

The frustration has been ongoing, with multiple committee meetings bringing up autonomy regulation but always pulling back at the last second before approving anything. The last meeting on Regulation 157, which governs Automated Lane Keeping Systems, concluded with authorities from the UK and Spain requesting additional time to analyze the data before reaching a conclusion.

Tesla, as well as Elon, have motioned several times for owners to reach out to their elected representatives to move the process forward, as it seems that Tesla’s own efforts are being stymied. 

This can seem odd, especially since Tesla has previously demoed FSD working exceptionally smoothly on European roads - and just did it again in Rome when they shared the video below on X.

FSD Supervised testing in Rome, Italy

Pending regulatory approval pic.twitter.com/TXh3uQIfrx

— Tesla Europe & Middle East (@teslaeurope) June 12, 2025

DCAS Phase 3

While the approval process has been slow, Kees Roelandschap pointed out that there may be a different regulatory step that could allow FSD to gain a foothold in Europe.

According to Kees, the European Commission is now taking a new approach to approving ADAS systems under the new DCAS Phase 3 regulations. The Commission is now seeking data from systems currently operational in the United States that can perform System-Initiated Maneuvers and don’t require hands-on intervention for every request.

This is key because those are two of the core functionalities that make FSD so usable, and it also means that there may not be a need to wait years for proper regulations to be written from scratch. Now, the Commission will be looking at real-world data based on existing, deployed technology, which could speed up the process immensely.

What This Means

This new, data-driven regulatory approach could be the path for Tesla to reach its previous target of September for European FSD. While the cogs of bureaucracy are ever slow, sometimes all it takes is a little data to have them turn a bit faster in this case.

Alongside specific countries granting approval for limited field testing with employees, there is some light at the end of the tunnel for FSD in Europe, and hopes are that a release will occur by the end of 2025. With Europe now looking to North America for how FSD is performing, Tesla’s Robotaxi results could also play a role.

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Tesla Launches 'TeslaVision' Contest With Big Prizes — See Last Year’s Winner [VIDEO]

Not a Tesla App

Tesla’s marketing has always been relatively unconventional, relying on word-of-mouth rather than traditional advertising. The passion of the owner’s community is always massive, but it is especially high now with the launch of the Robotaxi network just around the corner.

Tesla is now tapping into that spring of fan creativity and announced the TeslaVision video contest, with some seriously impressive prizes up for grabs.

Announcing the TeslaVision fan video showcase

Tesla owners & supporters have always been able to see our products & mission for what they truly are.

Your word of mouth has made Tesla what it is today.

The OGs will remember that in 2017, we held our first video contest. 8 years… pic.twitter.com/6pPpkqmqOH

— Tesla (@Tesla) June 10, 2025

The Contest

The core of the contest is simple. Create a video that shows how your Tesla gives you more in life. Tesla is looking for submissions that highlight themes of freedom, safety, fun, and convenience.

Prizes

The prizes definitely make this contest worth entering if you’re good with a camera and have some basic video editing abilities.

For North America, the prizes include a brand new Model Y AWD Long Range, alongside an all-expenses-paid trip to Austin for a tour of Giga Texas. The grand prize winner will also be able to custom order their Model Y, allowing them to select their preferred wheels and color.

The two runners-up won’t get a Model Y, but they’ll also enjoy an all-expenses-paid trip to Giga Texas for a tour of the factory.

The travel and tour include lodging in Austin for 2 nights, as well as economy-class round-trip tickets from anywhere in North America. Tesla will also provide a vehicle for use during the trip.

Hopefully, these winners will also have the opportunity to experience the Robotaxi network while they’re in Austin, as it’s expected to be opened to the public later this month.

Project Loveday

For long-time followers of Tesla, this contest may feel familiar. The contest is a direct throwback to the 2017 Project Loveday contest, which was inspired by a letter to Tesla from a 10-year-old aspiring marketer. That contest was won by MKBHD, with his submission below:

How to Enter

If you’re ready to start filming, here are the key pieces of information you’ll need to know:

• Video must be 90 seconds or less

• Video must be uploaded to YouTube with a public URL

• Make a post on X and Instagram tagging “@Tesla” and include the words “TeslaVision contest” in the post.

• Provide links to both social media posts in your submission to Tesla’s form

• Provide your personal details in the form

• You have until July 17th, 2025, or until Tesla receives 10,000 entries, whichever comes first.

You can find the official submission form and all region-specific details on Tesla's website.

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