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> For example, more than 35% of all Autopilot crashes occur when the Tesla vehicle is rear-ended by another vehicle. Well, if you want to know why some people

> For example, more than 35% of all Autopilot crashes occur when the Tesla vehicle is rear-ended by another vehicle. Well, if you want to know why some people are rear ending a Tesla, it's because it's far more unpredictable than a human driver. https://theintercept.com/2023/01/10/tesla-crash-footage-autopilot/ https://theintercept.com/2023/01/10/tesla-crash-footage-auto... Also it seems to contradict itself on data collection. First; > In practice, this correlates to nearly any crash at about 12 mph (20 kph) or above, depending on the crash forces generated But then they've decided to ignore crashes that doesn't deploy an airbag or similar... > recent analysis led us to identify and implement upgrades to our data reporting. Specifically, we discovered reports of certain events where no airbag or other active restraint deployed [...] So now we're only counting major accidents?

enslavedrobot 4y ago
Given that per the NHTSA 29% of all accidents are rear end collisions, I don't think the 35% number is meaningful, given the small sample size. Also: Tesla has always been clear about their definition of "crash", it hasn't changed since they started reporting years ago.
- photoGrant 4y ago
  > Also: Tesla has always been clear about their definition of "crash", it hasn't changed since they started reporting years ago. But it says specifically it does since Jan 2023 and they've retroactively adjusted their previous reporting...
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
bdcravens 4y ago
Does the Tesla always activate its brake lights when slowing down? (I have an EV6, and I don't even know if brakes lights come on when I'm using regen as opposed to the brake pedal) When I'm driving and traffic is stopped ahead, I used to always brake not because I had to, but as an indication to the car behind me.
- fortylove 4y ago
  Thanks for asking this. I've never thought of the implications of re-gen braking when slowing down!
  - yellow_postit 4y ago
    Searching around seems inconsistent across different brands/models/model years (eg Bolt behavior changed recently). As one pedal driving becomes more prevalent might be something in need of a standard. For Tesla Model Y: > If regenerative braking is aggressively slowing Model Y (such as when your foot is completely off the accelerator pedal at highway speeds), the brake lights turn on to alert others that you are slowing down. Source: Model Y manual: https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/modely/is_is/GUID-3DFFB071-C0F6-474D-8A45-17BE1A006365.html https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/modely/is_is/GUID-3DFFB07...
  - tyingq 4y ago
    Might be a nice addition for other cars, for example, when you aggressively downshift and decelerate that way.
- gnicholas 4y ago
  According to this article [1], the brake lights do come on. But the article is from 2021, so who knows if that is still true (or if it was ever true for all Teslas, since they only tested one). 1: https://www.greencarfuture.com/electric/does-regen-braking-turn-on-brake-lights#Case_in_Point_Tesla_Model_3 https://www.greencarfuture.com/electric/does-regen-braking-t...
  - brianwawok 4y ago
    It is. You can see it on your little icon that the brakes turn on. Anything reasonably fast shows brakes.
- chollida1 4y ago
  https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/modely/is_is/GUID-3DFFB071-C0F6-474D-8A45-17BE1A006365.html#:~:text=If%20regenerative%20braking%20is%20aggressively,that%20you%20are%20slowing%20down.&text=In%20snowy%20or%20icy%20conditions,of%20traction%20during%20regenerative%20braking https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/modely/is_is/GUID-3DFFB07.... Yes, but it depends on the speed you are going > If regenerative braking is aggressively slowing Model Y (such as when your foot is completely off the accelerator pedal at highway speeds), the brake lights turn on to alert others that you are slowing down.
bagels 4y ago
Autopilot does emergency braking for nonexistent obstacles. I'm sure it's contributing to rear end collision risk. I stopped using it for this reason.
- CamperBob2 4y ago
  Every autonomous braking system has that problem, including the one in my 2020 Macan. They are dangerously-flaky hacks. As of 2025 they are mandated by law.
  - bagels 4y ago
    The rate for me was approximately 1 emergency brake maneuver per 6 miles of driving. I doubt any of them are as bad as the Tesla system.
  - cyrux004 4y ago
    Apparently not as common as Tesla. You should read about "phantom braking" issues on Tesla , especially after they removed the radar
    - CamperBob2 4y ago
      Yeah, I can't even imagine what it would be like to implement a system like that without radar. Tesla's approach would make a good Most Interesting Man In the World meme. "I don't always tackle the hardest engineering problems in human history, such as self-driving cars. But when I do, I tie one hand behind my back, close one eye, and consume some alcohol or drugs first." One episode per 3000 miles is too many, and that's about what I was seeing before I disabled the feature.
      - bryanlarsen 4y ago
        Are you referring to the "gentle slow down" behavior that Autopilot often does or the "slam on the brakes as hard as you can" behavior of Automatic Emergency Braking? I definitely see the former more than once per 3000 miles but it doesn't bother me. I've never seen the latter.
killjoywashere 4y ago
Keep in mind, you can reasonably assume many minor accidents don't get reported to the government database. But Tesla is afflicted by perfect (or near perfect) knowledge of every vehicle in the fleet. A line has to be drawn somewhere. 0.1 mph? 2 mph? 25 mph? Half that? Where would you draw the line to be comparable to the federal data?
- FireBeyond 4y ago
  Sure. But we're very much in the data gathering phase of autonomous/semi-autonomous/enhanced driver assist vehicles, so I have a hard time arguing that "we don't really need to report this incident (not accident) to a database".
throwawayacc3 4y ago
>Well, if you want to know why some people are rear ending a Tesla, it's because it's far more unpredictable than a human driver. How unpredictable is a solid 5 seconds of the Tesla signaling it's lane change then slowing down? I blame the asshole that was in the far left lane going way too fast and not slowing down (just letting off the accelerator when the Tesla signalled would have prevented the accident) when someone is trying to enter. Then they brake way too late. Everyone behind that first vehicle is also to blame for following too closely at too fast of a speed.

enslavedrobot 4y ago

Given that per the NHTSA 29% of all accidents are rear end collisions, I don't think the 35% number is meaningful, given the small sample size. Also: Tesla has always been clear about their definition of "crash", it hasn't changed since they started reporting years ago.

photoGrant 4y ago
> Also: Tesla has always been clear about their definition of "crash", it hasn't changed since they started reporting years ago. But it says specifically it does since Jan 2023 and they've retroactively adjusted their previous reporting...
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

bdcravens 4y ago

Does the Tesla always activate its brake lights when slowing down? (I have an EV6, and I don't even know if brakes lights come on when I'm using regen as opposed to the brake pedal) When I'm driving and traffic is stopped ahead, I used to always brake not because I had to, but as an indication to the car behind me.

fortylove 4y ago
Thanks for asking this. I've never thought of the implications of re-gen braking when slowing down!
- yellow_postit 4y ago
  Searching around seems inconsistent across different brands/models/model years (eg Bolt behavior changed recently). As one pedal driving becomes more prevalent might be something in need of a standard. For Tesla Model Y: > If regenerative braking is aggressively slowing Model Y (such as when your foot is completely off the accelerator pedal at highway speeds), the brake lights turn on to alert others that you are slowing down. Source: Model Y manual: https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/modely/is_is/GUID-3DFFB071-C0F6-474D-8A45-17BE1A006365.html https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/modely/is_is/GUID-3DFFB07...
- tyingq 4y ago
  Might be a nice addition for other cars, for example, when you aggressively downshift and decelerate that way.
gnicholas 4y ago
According to this article [1], the brake lights do come on. But the article is from 2021, so who knows if that is still true (or if it was ever true for all Teslas, since they only tested one). 1: https://www.greencarfuture.com/electric/does-regen-braking-turn-on-brake-lights#Case_in_Point_Tesla_Model_3 https://www.greencarfuture.com/electric/does-regen-braking-t...
- brianwawok 4y ago
  It is. You can see it on your little icon that the brakes turn on. Anything reasonably fast shows brakes.
chollida1 4y ago
https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/modely/is_is/GUID-3DFFB071-C0F6-474D-8A45-17BE1A006365.html#:~:text=If%20regenerative%20braking%20is%20aggressively,that%20you%20are%20slowing%20down.&text=In%20snowy%20or%20icy%20conditions,of%20traction%20during%20regenerative%20braking https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/modely/is_is/GUID-3DFFB07.... Yes, but it depends on the speed you are going > If regenerative braking is aggressively slowing Model Y (such as when your foot is completely off the accelerator pedal at highway speeds), the brake lights turn on to alert others that you are slowing down.

bagels 4y ago

Autopilot does emergency braking for nonexistent obstacles. I'm sure it's contributing to rear end collision risk. I stopped using it for this reason.

CamperBob2 4y ago
Every autonomous braking system has that problem, including the one in my 2020 Macan. They are dangerously-flaky hacks. As of 2025 they are mandated by law.
- bagels 4y ago
  The rate for me was approximately 1 emergency brake maneuver per 6 miles of driving. I doubt any of them are as bad as the Tesla system.
- cyrux004 4y ago
  Apparently not as common as Tesla. You should read about "phantom braking" issues on Tesla , especially after they removed the radar
  - CamperBob2 4y ago
    Yeah, I can't even imagine what it would be like to implement a system like that without radar. Tesla's approach would make a good Most Interesting Man In the World meme. "I don't always tackle the hardest engineering problems in human history, such as self-driving cars. But when I do, I tie one hand behind my back, close one eye, and consume some alcohol or drugs first." One episode per 3000 miles is too many, and that's about what I was seeing before I disabled the feature.
    - bryanlarsen 4y ago
      Are you referring to the "gentle slow down" behavior that Autopilot often does or the "slam on the brakes as hard as you can" behavior of Automatic Emergency Braking? I definitely see the former more than once per 3000 miles but it doesn't bother me. I've never seen the latter.

killjoywashere 4y ago

Keep in mind, you can reasonably assume many minor accidents don't get reported to the government database. But Tesla is afflicted by perfect (or near perfect) knowledge of every vehicle in the fleet. A line has to be drawn somewhere. 0.1 mph? 2 mph? 25 mph? Half that? Where would you draw the line to be comparable to the federal data?

FireBeyond 4y ago
Sure. But we're very much in the data gathering phase of autonomous/semi-autonomous/enhanced driver assist vehicles, so I have a hard time arguing that "we don't really need to report this incident (not accident) to a database".

throwawayacc3 4y ago

>Well, if you want to know why some people are rear ending a Tesla, it's because it's far more unpredictable than a human driver. How unpredictable is a solid 5 seconds of the Tesla signaling it's lane change then slowing down? I blame the asshole that was in the far left lane going way too fast and not slowing down (just letting off the accelerator when the Tesla signalled would have prevented the accident) when someone is trying to enter. Then they brake way too late. Everyone behind that first vehicle is also to blame for following too closely at too fast of a speed.