Tesla’s much-anticipated Robotaxi program, which relies solely on vision-based Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology, has recorded its first accident. Thankfully, the incident was minor—a gentle tap against a parked Toyota Camry’s door.
Incident Details
The accident was documented by Tesla influencer Chris, known online as DirtyTesla, who has been extensively testing the Robotaxi service. According to Chris, the Tesla vehicle struggled to enter the parking lot of a local pizza place called Home Slice Pizza. After several failed attempts, the car ended the ride and dropped him off at the parking lot’s entrance.
After Chris exited, the Tesla inexplicably turned its wheels and slowly moved forward, lightly bumping into a Toyota Camry parked just inches away. Initially, Chris believed a safety driver had intervened to prevent contact, but he later confirmed via Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s social platform, X, that the tire actually grazed the car’s door before the Robotaxi came to a stop and activated its hazard lights.
Why This Matters
While this type of accident typically involves exchanging insurance information and apologies, it carries significant implications for Tesla’s autonomous driving technology. Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system removed ultrasonic sensors in favor of a vision-only approach in 2022. Detecting stationary obstacles like parked cars is a fundamental safety feature expected from such systems.
This mishap suggests that either the parked Toyota Camry was in a blind spot or the vision-based system encountered a malfunction—both indicating limitations in Tesla’s current autonomous driving capabilities.
Reactions and Potential Impact
Elon Musk had initially claimed that Robotaxis would operate without any occupant in the front seat, with remote teleoperators ready to intervene if needed. However, riders quickly noticed a safety driver present in the passenger seat, reflecting Tesla’s “super paranoid” stance on safety.
Experts highlight that this minor accident shows Tesla’s system is still in early stages compared to competitors like Waymo, which has more advanced autonomous driving capabilities.
Moreover, Tesla’s autonomous driving has recently faced criticism for erratic, “teenage driver”-like behavior, drawing scrutiny from federal regulators.
Can Tesla Improve?
While improvements are certainly possible, this simple incident may be a sign of the technical and real-world challenges Tesla faces in refining its Robotaxi program. The path ahead may involve additional “speed bumps”—and yes, possibly a few more minor collisions.
Correction Notice
This story was updated on July 7, 2025, to clarify the timeline: The original video was posted on June 24, but the collision was only recognized later, with a dedicated video uploaded on July 2. We regret any confusion caused.
Conclusion
Tesla’s first Robotaxi accident was minor but meaningful, highlighting the hurdles in deploying vision-only autonomous driving. Though no injuries or severe damages occurred, it underscores the necessity for continuous enhancements to build trust and safety in this emerging technology.
Super tight squeeze for robotaxi in one of my last drives 🫢
— Dirty Tesla (@DirtyTesLa) June 25, 2025
The owner of the parked car asked if it was my car and I told him it was a robotaxi. The robotaxi backed up and then the driver of the parked car left. It looked like the tire touched the parked car. The safety driver… pic.twitter.com/DzNuAQk6Su
