(Credit: Tim Goessman/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The first accident involving a Tesla robotaxi has been recorded, following multiple other reports of safety issues and traffic violations earlier this month.
The incident occurred in a crowded parking lot of an Austin, Texas, restaurant, Home Slice Pizza, according to a video uploaded by YouTube Tesla enthusiast Dirty Tesla, first spotted by Engadget.
The Model Y drove into the side of a parked Toyota Camry after completing an otherwise normal drop-off. After the YouTuber left the robotaxi, the Tesla vehicle began to navigate out of the tight alleyway leading from the restaurant. The vehicle then came to a complete stop before abruptly restarting seconds later, turning to the left, and driving into the Camry parked inches away.
No major injuries or damage were reported; the distance was too short for major acceleration to occur, but the right tire of the Toyota was lightly grazed.
"I think the safety operator stopped it just in time," said DirtyTesla.
It’s unclear what prompted Tesla to make such a seemingly illogical choice.
The report comes after a video emerged last month of a Tesla robotaxi driving into the wrong lane and continuing along the wrong side of the road for several seconds. Another video showed the same vehicle braking hard after passing a police car.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is already investigating Tesla's rollout, according to Bloomberg, reportedly contacting Tesla concerning the videos of the company’s robotaxis breaking traffic laws.
“Following an assessment of those reports and other relevant information, NHTSA will take any necessary actions to protect road safety,” the federal agency told Bloomberg.
The reports come as the success of Tesla's robotaxi division may be increasingly integral to the future of the company.
Earlier this week, the EV maker reported a 14% year-over-year drop in vehicle deliveries. It delivered 384,122 vehicles in Q2 2025, a sharp decline from 443,956 last year. The slide comes amid DOGE-related vandalism and protests across the US, and fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers like BYD.