Tesla Unveils Comprehensive Safety Data Following Waymo’s Call for Transparency
In a significant move towards transparency, Tesla has released an in-depth safety report detailing the performance of its advanced driver-assistance software. This release comes shortly after Tekedra Mawakana, co-CEO of Waymo, urged industry peers to disclose more data regarding autonomous vehicle safety.
Tesla’s Safety Metrics
According to the new section on Tesla’s website, the company reports that in North America, vehicles equipped with its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software average approximately 5 million miles between major collisions and about 1.5 million miles between minor collisions. These figures suggest a collision rate significantly lower than the national average. For context, data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates that, on average, drivers experience a major collision every 699,000 miles and a minor one every 229,000 miles.
Historical Context and Industry Comparisons
Tesla has previously published quarterly vehicle safety reports, but these have often been criticized for lacking depth and comprehensive data. Notably, the company has provided limited information about the safety performance of its Robotaxi trials in Austin, Texas, which currently operate with human monitors in the driver’s seat for safety oversight.
In contrast, Waymo, a leading player in the U.S. robotaxi market, has been more forthcoming with its safety data. The company has released detailed reports indicating that its vehicles are approximately five times safer than human drivers and twelve times safer concerning pedestrian interactions. During the recent TechCrunch Disrupt conference, Mawakana highlighted the importance of transparency in the industry. When asked about other companies contributing to road safety, she remarked, I don’t know who’s on that list because they’re not telling us what’s happening with their fleets.
Mawakana emphasized the responsibility of companies deploying autonomous vehicles to be transparent about their operations. She stated, If you’re going to put vehicles on the road, and you’re going to remove the driver from behind the wheel… it is incumbent upon you to be transparent about what’s happening.
Tesla’s Response and Data Breakdown
Responding to these calls for openness, Tesla has provided a more detailed breakdown of its safety data. The company reports that drivers using the Full Self-Driving (FSD) system experience a major collision approximately every 2.9 million miles, compared to the NHTSA’s average of 505,000 miles per major collision for all drivers. For minor collisions, FSD users average one every 986,000 miles, whereas the NHTSA data shows an average of 178,000 miles per minor collision for all drivers.
For the first time, Tesla has also clarified its definitions of collision severity. Major collisions are defined as incidents involving significant impacts where airbags or other irreversible safety restraints are deployed. Additionally, Tesla includes in its data any collision where FSD was active within five seconds leading up to the event. This approach ensures that the reported collision rates encompass scenarios where the system was engaged shortly before an impact, even if it was disengaged just prior to the collision.
Commitment to Ongoing Transparency
Tesla has committed to updating this safety data quarterly, reflecting a rolling twelve-month aggregation of miles and collisions. This methodology aims to provide insights into recent trends and progress. However, the company has stated that it will not release information on injury rates, as this data is collected automatically from vehicles. Instead, Tesla focuses on objective metrics such as collision frequency and airbag deployment rates, with the latter serving as a proxy for collision severity.
Industry Implications
This move by Tesla marks a significant step towards greater transparency in the autonomous vehicle industry. By providing detailed safety data, Tesla not only responds to industry calls for openness but also sets a precedent for other companies to follow. As autonomous technology continues to evolve, such transparency will be crucial in building public trust and ensuring the safety of all road users.
