Further Reading: Study: Hands-On Training May Help Drivers Better Understand ADAS
New NHTSA Data Shows ADAS Connected to Hundreds of Collisions
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released two reports on crash data involving vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems and automated driving systems.

Advanced driver assistance systems were linked to 392 crashes over a recent 10-month period, according to new data released by NHTSA.
Photo: unsplash.com/Michael Jin
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently released 10 months of crash data aimed at protecting the public from potential safety risks involving advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and automated driving systems (ADS).
The agency released two reports. In the report regarding ADAS specifically, NHTSA tracked 392 incidents from July 1 of last year through May 15. In those incidents, six people were killed and five were seriously injured, reports the New York Times. Teslas operating with Autopilot, the more ambitious Full Self Driving mode, or any of their associated component features were in 273 crashes. Five of those Tesla crashes were fatal, notes the Times.
The data was collected under a Standing General Order that NHTSA issued last June requiring automakers to report crashes of vehicles with ADAS and ADS. One of the key concerns about advanced systems is that they often allow drivers to relinquish active control of the car and could lull them into a false sense of security, which can lead to driver complacency and ultimately, collisions.
Both the National Safety Council (NSC) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have applauded NHTSA’s efforts and recognized the data as a good “first step” toward improving safety of advanced systems. In a press release, NHTSA stated the “while not comprehensive, the data are important and provide NHTSA with immediate information about crashes that occur with vehicles that have various levels of automated systems deployed at least 30 seconds before the crash occurred.”
Approximately 830,000 Tesla cars in the United States are equipped with Autopilot or the company’s other driver-assistance technologies. This may be why Tesla vehicles accounted for nearly 70% of the reported crashes in the data released by NHTSA, notes the Times.
While Tesla reported the most ADAS crashes by far, Honda and Subaru ranked second and third — with 90 and 10 collisions, respectively, according to the NHTSA data. Ford, GM, BMW, Volkswagen, Toyota, Hyundai, and Porsche each reported five or fewer crashes.
Other key findings in the ADAS crash data report concern what the vehicle collided with. For example, 116 of the ADAS vehicle collisions were with another vehicle. While 20 collided with a pole, another 78 collided with another fixed object. Four crashes involved a vulnerable road user — one cyclist and three pedestrians.
In a second report, NHTSA summarizes the crash data it collected regarding automated systems, or ADS, over the same 10-month period. Automakers submitted a total of 130 crashes involving ADS-equipped vehicles. While no fatalities were reported, one resulted in serious injury and 15 were associated with mild or moderate injuries.
As for what the ADS vehicles collided with, 108 crashed into another vehicle. Another 11 crashes involved vulnerable road users — seven with cyclists, two with motorcyclists, and two with electric scooters.
More Safety

Top 50 Executive Fleets
It is that time of year again! Time for the 2026 list of the Top 50 Executive Fleets, presented by Automotive Fleet and Volvo as part of its annual Fleet 500. Download now to see this year's list of companies!
Read More →How Better Visibility Cut Speeding Violations by 48%
Fleet leaders don't need more data, they need clearer visibility into what the data is saying. This case study explores how one utility replaced speeding-event counts with a single metric — miles driven in violation — to strengthen safety and significantly reduce speeding violations.
Read More →
Operation Safe Driver Week: Why the Industry's Oldest Safety Campaign Still Matters to Fleets
A look at how a 2007 enforcement initiative became one of the most consequential weeks on the fleet safety calendar, and what it means for your drivers in 2026.
Read More →
Nexar-Nauto Merger Aims to Give Fleets Better Safety Intelligence Through Larger Driving Dataset
Stefan Heck tells Automotive Fleet that combining more than 10 billion miles of driving history with Nexar's AI models will give fleets deeper insights into driver risk and roadway conditions than either company could provide independently.
Read More →From Silos to Solutions: Relationship Management for Safer Fleets
From telematics adoption and driver accountability to policy consistency and risk mitigation, this episode breaks down what it really takes to build a safer fleet culture without slowing business down.
Read More →
IIHS Launches First Commercial Vehicle Safety Evaluations
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has begun evaluating heavy-duty pickups and cargo vans for driver protection. Which models earned top marks?
Read More →
Reducing Risk by Eliminating Phone Use Behind the Wheel
Hosted with the cofounder of Lifesaver Mobile, this episode addresses phone use behind the wheel and how to design a driving environment that actually helps prevents accidents.
Read More →
Cameras, Safety and Insurance: From Reactive Claims to Real-Time Prevention (Part 2 of 2)
Part Two: Commercial auto remains one of the most challenging and costly lines of coverage for fleet operators and insurers alike. Continue learning more about how to effectively address these issues from Onur Aksan, Enterprise Business Development Executive, Geotab
Read More →
How 5-Second Telematics Data Is Changing Fleet Safety
This episode connects with Steve Santostasi of Ford Pro and covers how a few seconds of data can make a difference in fleet safety.
Read More →
The Two Biggest Summer Downtime Threats for Fleets
A conversation with a maintenance expert reveals the two most common summer maintenance pains and how to prevent them.
Read More →