Tesla Autopilot

Tesla's Autopilot has proven to be 10 times safer than human drivers.
Tesla has officially released its vehicle safety report, which includes data on the distance traveled between crashes for cars with and without Autopilot.

Telsa Autopilot is safer

Tesla releases this data every quarter, and this quarter the trend continued: cars using Autopilot are 10 times less likely to be involved in crashes compared to the national average.
Even Tesla cars not using Autopilot are more than twice as safe as the U.S. average, as tracked by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The company began publishing this data quarterly in late 2018. Since the first publication in Q3 2018, the number of miles traveled between crashes has more than doubled.
Tesla reported one crash for every 7.5 million miles driven by drivers using Autopilot technology. At the end of 2018, it was 5.4 million km. At the end of 2024, one accident was recorded for every 9.5 million km.
Last quarter, the company also saw one accident for every 2.4 million km for vehicles not using Autopilot technology.
This data was collected by both NHTSA and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

Tesla's Autopilot Specifications

Tesla's Autopilot is an advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) designed to enhance safety and convenience on the road. As of 2025, it is classified as SAE Level 2 automation, meaning it can assist with steering and speed control but requires active driver supervision at all times . ([Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (Supervised) | Tesla Support](https://www.tesla.com/support/autopilot?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [Tesla Autopilot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Autopilot?utm_source=chatgpt.com))

Autopilot Packages and Features

Tesla offers three tiers of Autopilot capabilities:

1. Base Autopilot

Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (TACC): Maintains a set speed and adjusts based on the distance to the vehicle ahead.
Autosteer: Assists in steering within clearly marked lanes.

2. Enhanced Autopilot

Navigate on Autopilot: Guides the car from highway on-ramps to off-ramps, including interchanges and overtaking slower vehicles.
Auto Lane Change: Assists in changing lanes on the highway when Autosteer is engaged.
Autopark: Helps parallel or perpendicular park your car with a single touch.
Summon: Moves your car in and out of tight spaces using the mobile app or key.

3. Full Self-Driving (Supervised)

Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control: Identifies and responds to traffic lights and stop signs.
Autosteer on City Streets: Navigates urban roads, handling turns and stops.
Smart Summon: Navigates complex environments to come to you or a location of your choosing.
It's important to note that despite the name, Full Self-Driving (Supervised) does not make the vehicle autonomous; driver attention and supervision are always required .

Hardware and Sensor Suite

Tesla's vehicles are equipped with a suite of sensors and computing hardware to support Autopilot features:
Cameras: Eight external cameras provide 360-degree visibility around the car, with varying focal lengths and ranges up to 250 meters .
Tesla Vision: A camera-based system that processes visual data to interpret the vehicle's surroundings, replacing the previous radar-based system .
Full Self-Driving Computer (Hardware 3 and 4): Custom-designed chips capable of processing vast amounts of data from the vehicle's sensors to make real-time driving decisions.

Limitations and Considerations

While Tesla's Autopilot offers advanced features, there are important limitations and considerations:
Driver Supervision: The system requires active driver supervision and readiness to take control at any time.
Environmental Conditions: Performance can be affected by weather conditions, poor visibility, and unclear road markings.
Regulatory Status: As of now, Tesla's Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (Supervised) features are not approved for autonomous operation in most jurisdictions.
Tesla continues to develop and refine its Autopilot system, aiming for higher levels of automation in the future. However, users should remain informed about the system's capabilities and limitations to ensure safe operation.