Tesla Cybertruck crashes into pole while on Full Self-Driving mode
What's the story
A Tesla Cybertruck owner in Florida, US, recently crashed the vehicle while using its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system.
The incident, in which the vehicle crashed into a pole after hitting a curb, was shared by Jonathan Challinger on social media and has since gone viral.
Challinger was using Tesla's latest FSD v13 at the time of the accident.
Twitter Post
Take a look at Challinger's viral post
Soooooo my @Tesla @cybertruck crashed into a curb and then a light post on v13.2.4.
— Jonathan Challinger (@MrChallinger) February 9, 2025
Thank you @Tesla for engineering the best passive safety in the world. I walked away without a scratch.
It failed to merge out of a lane that was ending (there was no one on my left) and made… pic.twitter.com/vpT4AGz8jZ
Accident specifics
Details of the crash incident
Challinger was driving in the right lane merging into the left one when his Cybertruck failed to merge and hit a curb.
He said, "It failed to merge out of a lane that was ending (there was no one on my left) and made no attempt to slow down or turn until it had already hit the curb."
The vehicle then crashed into a light post, but thankfully, Challinger escaped unscathed.
Public alert
Challinger's warning to other Tesla drivers
After the incident, Challinger warned other Tesla drivers about the dangers of complacency while using the FSD system.
He said, "Big fail on my part, obviously. Don't make the same mistake I did. Pay attention. It can happen."
His experience is a reminder that even as self-driving systems become more advanced, human vigilance is still the key to safety on the road.
Company position
Tesla's stance on Full Self-Driving system
Tesla's FSD is a suite of advanced driver assist features that require driver supervision at all times, but the company has said it will soon work without driver supervision.
This is despite data indicating that Tesla may still be years away from true self-driving.
The recent Cybertruck crash highlights the need to keep driver vigilance even when using advanced driving assist systems like FSD.