November 4, 2025
Crash course in internet rage
Tesla's ‘Robotaxis' Keep Crashing—Even With Human ‘Safety Monitors' Onboard
Internet meltdown: ‘hit piece’ vs ‘Waymo’s winning’ as photo gaffe stirs the pot
TLDR: Tesla’s Austin robotaxis logged at least four low-speed crashes despite human monitors, and federal regulators are reviewing. Commenters split between calling the coverage a smear and saying Waymo’s already winning, with debates over crash rates and a photo/video misstep fueling the drama—why it matters: public trust in autonomy.
Tesla’s Austin robotaxis are under fresh heat after at least four low‑speed crashes, even with a human “safety monitor” onboard. Federal regulators at NHTSA are reviewing the reports, while Electrek flagged the incidents. Cue instant internet chaos: Waymo stans shouted “they’re years ahead,” and Musk loyalists cried “smear.”
The comments went full popcorn mode. One camp insists Tesla’s autonomy dream is wobbling, especially as Musk vows expansion while recalls pile up. Others blast the coverage itself—calling out a burned‑Tesla video header (“vandalism, not safety!”) and a photo that shows the safety monitor in the passenger seat right after a line claiming they sit in the driver’s seat. Practical skeptics demand numbers: Are these crashes worse than human drivers? Meanwhile, meme‑lords dubbed the mishaps “slow‑mo bumper cars” and joked the safety monitor is a “passenger princess” doing ride‑alongs. Waymo fans flexed Detroit snow cred; Tesla fans countered with “growing pains.” The real vibe: a split between folks who think Waymo’s quietly winning and those who think the media is out to make Tesla look reckless. Regulators are watching, too. NHTSA’s Tesla probe now shadows the pilot.
Key Points
- •Federal reports cite at least four low-speed crashes involving Tesla’s pilot robotaxis in Austin since summer.
- •NHTSA is reviewing new robotaxi incident reports and is already investigating Tesla’s FSD for erratic behavior.
- •Safety monitors are onboard, but some crashes occurred at low speeds or while stationary, including contact with a fixed object.
- •Analysts suggest perception and decision-making may not give monitors enough time to intervene, echoing prior NHTSA concerns.
- •Tesla recently recalled 13,000 vehicles over a battery defect; an industry report ranks Tesla behind Kia in battery longevity.