Tesla cars have accounted for nearly 70% of reported accidents involving advanced driver assistance systems since last June, according to federal figures released Wednesday, but officials cautioned that the data is incomplete and is not intended to indicate which automaker systems might be more secure.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the first-of-its-kind data does not have adequate context yet, and is only intended to serve as a guide to quickly identify trends of potential faults and help determine whether systems are improving vehicle safety.
"I advise caution before trying to draw conclusions based solely on the data we release. In fact, data alone may raise more questions than it answers," NHTSA Director Stephen Cliff said during media statements.
According to the data, Tesla cars recorded 273 accidents involving advanced driver assistance systems, as companies should have started reporting accidents about a year ago. That's among 392 accidents generally reported by 11 auto manufacturers and one supplier from June 2021 through May 15.
Honda came in second with 90 accidents, followed by Subaru with 10 accidents and Ford Motor with 5 accidents. All other companies reported four or fewer accidents, including Toyota four, BMW three, and General Motors two.
The data release is the first since the US government in June 2021 began reporting incidents to companies involving "Level 2" advanced driver assistance systems, which are intended to help, not replace, an attentive driver. They include Tesla and General Motors systems.
The systems can control many of the vehicle's driving functions such as steering, lane positioning, braking, and acceleration. Some automakers, including General Motors, only allow the systems to be used on the highway. Tesla and others allow wider use, including on local streets.
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