San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said he was using Tesla’s Autopilot when his vehicle collided head-on with another car in July 2024, sustaining multiple injuries. Shanahan, who returned to the sidelines for the team’s first preseason game, emphasized personal responsibility in the incident during his first press conference since the crash.
Shanahan’s Account of the Crash
Shanahan stated he was driving at 20 mph on Autopilot when he took his eyes off the road to retrieve a phone that had fallen to the back seat. He said he was unsure whether he had inadvertently disengaged Autopilot during the maneuver. The collision left him with a concussion, three broken ribs, a broken nose, a broken left hand, and facial lacerations requiring over 40 stitches.
In his remarks, Shanahan acknowledged his long-standing trust in Autopilot but called the experience a "good lesson" about the limitations of driver-assistance technology. "It is always your fault, whether you're on autopilot or not," he said. "You can't take your eyes off the road. It's a partnership driving. You don't just turn it over to a computer."
Tesla’s Driver-Assistance Systems
Tesla’s Autopilot is a driver-assistance feature designed for highway use, requiring an attentive driver to monitor the road. The company’s more advanced Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, also supervised, can handle turns and lane changes but still mandates driver oversight. Tesla’s user agreement explicitly states that drivers must remain in control and attentive while using these systems.
Shanahan’s Return and Broader Reflections
Shanahan, who has owned Teslas for nine years, returned to the 49ers’ coaching staff for their preseason opener. He framed the crash as a turning point in his perspective on both driver-assistance technology and concussion risks in sports. "I think it definitely could be an example for a lot of people," he said. "It's really helped me have perspective, no matter how comfortable I am with that [Autopilot]."
The coach did not attribute the crash to a malfunction, stating, "Who knows what happened when I turned around—whether it malfunctioned or whether I knocked it off. That's something I don't know yet." His comments underscored the ongoing debate about the reliability and proper use of semi-autonomous driving systems.
Safety and Liability Considerations
The incident raises questions about liability in crashes involving driver-assistance systems, as well as the responsibility of drivers to remain engaged. Tesla’s marketing and user agreements emphasize that Autopilot and FSD are not fully autonomous and require human supervision. Shanahan’s experience highlights the potential consequences of complacency, even among experienced users of such technology.
While Shanahan did not allege a defect in Tesla’s system, his remarks reflect broader concerns about public trust in autonomous driving features. The crash occurred in Palo Alto, California, where Tesla is headquartered, adding local significance to the discussion.