Tesla Model 3
DROP ITby Tesla
Last verified September 12, 2026
Tesla's claim that Autopilot/FSD is 'up to 10x safer' than human drivers is disputed by an independent Reuters investigation, which found the comparison methodology inflates the figure roughly 3x — and NHTSA's own complaint database shows 420 real complaints on the 2023 Model 3 alone, dominated by phantom-braking and collision-avoidance issues.
Tesla executives (CFO Vaibhav Taneja, Board Chair Robyn Denholm) have publicly claimed Autopilot/Full Self-Driving is up to 10x safer than human drivers, citing a Q3 2025 safety report showing 0.12 crashes per million miles with Autopilot engaged versus a 1.08 U.S. average.
A Reuters investigation (reported by Electrek) found Tesla's comparison methodology inflates the safety claim by roughly 3x — Tesla counts only crashes severe enough to deploy an airbag in its own data, then compares that to NHTSA/FHWA federal data that includes all crashes requiring a tow truck, a far lower severity threshold. Separately, NHTSA's own complaint database shows 420 real complaints filed against the 2023 Model 3 alone, dominated by Forward Collision Avoidance issues (131+ complaints combining several sub-categories) and Steering (52) — including multiple specific, dated reports of 'phantom braking' (the car braking hard for no obstacle) and at least two separate documented incidents of the vehicle running a red light while on Autopilot/FSD, one of which caused an accident. Tesla's Model 3 has also had 12 NHTSA recalls in 2023, 5 in 2024, 3 in 2025, and 1 so far in 2026 (most recently a seat-fastener issue, unrelated to Autopilot).
The 'up to 10x safer' figure doesn't hold up to independent scrutiny — Reuters found the underlying comparison mixes crash-severity thresholds in a way that inflates the result roughly 3x. That doesn't mean Autopilot/FSD provides zero real safety benefit, but it does mean the specific marketed number is overstated. Separately, NHTSA's own complaint database shows a real, recurring pattern of phantom braking and at least two red-light-running incidents on FSD — genuine safety concerns a prospective buyer should weigh, not just marketing.
- Tesla Q3 2025 Safety Report — Tesla's own report claims 0.12 crashes per million miles with Autopilot engaged vs a 1.08 U.S. average
- Reuters investigation via Electrek — Found Tesla's comparison mixes crash-severity thresholds (airbag-deployment vs. all tow-truck-required crashes), inflating the safety figure by roughly 3x
- NHTSA complaint database — 420 real complaints on the 2023 Model 3 alone, including documented phantom-braking incidents and at least two reports of the vehicle running a red light on FSD
Is Tesla's '10x safer than human drivers' claim accurate?
An independent Reuters investigation found the comparison methodology inflates this claim by roughly 3x — Tesla compares its own airbag-deployment crash data against a federal baseline that includes much less severe tow-truck-required crashes.
What are the most common Tesla Model 3 complaints filed with NHTSA?
For the 2023 model year, Forward Collision Avoidance (phantom braking and related issues) and Steering are the two largest complaint categories by far, out of 420 total complaints on file.