Science & Tech · Gadgets & EVs · 1 hr ago
Musk says Tesla robotaxis will add technology to avoid animals at night
Elon Musk said Tesla plans to update its robotaxis so they can better detect and avoid animals at night.
He made the remarks during a livestreamed event hosted by Tesla Owners of Silicon Valley.
Musk criticized rival Waymo, calling its vehicles “pet destroyers” over reported animal collisions.
Waymo reported at least nine animal-related crashes from July 2025 to July 2026, including six it classified as involving domestic animals.
Tesla also reported one animal-related collision in that period, involving a supervised robotaxi, and its robotaxi operations were smaller and concentrated mainly in Austin.
Regulators caution that differences in reporting and vehicle operations make direct safety comparisons difficult.
Musk did not say when Tesla will deploy the update or provide data on how well it works.
He also said Tesla checks for risky or confusing intersections, including railroad crossings, before starting service in new cities.
Elon Musk said Tesla plans to update its robotaxis to better detect and avoid small animals, including pets at night.
He said the vehicles face challenges spotting gray kittens on gray roads in low visibility.
Musk called rival Waymo’s robotaxis “pet destroyers” and criticized their reported animal collisions.
NHTSA data cited in the articles show Waymo reported at least nine animal-related crashes from July 2025 to July 2026.
Tesla also reported one animal-related collision during that period, involving a supervised robotaxi.
Musk did not specify when Tesla would deploy the update.
- Who
- Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, described a planned robotaxi update and criticized Waymo.
- What
- Tesla plans to update its robotaxis to better detect and avoid small animals. Musk did not give a deployment date.
- When
- Musk discussed the issue at an event on October 10, 2026, according to Donga Ilbo. The articles report animal-crash data for July 2025 to July 2026.
- Where
- The interview was at an event hosted by Tesla Owners of Silicon Valley. The articles do not state where it was held.
- Why
- Musk said Tesla wants to avoid hitting pets and small animals, including in low visibility at night.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
A Waymo vehicle ran over KitKat, a cat in a San Francisco neighborhood, and the cat died.
Waymo reported at least nine animal-related crashes, including six it described as involving domestic animals; Tesla reported one animal-related collision involving a supervised robotaxi.
Musk discussed animal detection and the planned Tesla robotaxi update during an event hosted by Tesla Owners of Silicon Valley.
Business Insider published its report on Musk’s comments and the planned update.
Donga Ilbo published its report on Musk’s comments and the planned update.
- Tesla update
- Planned to help robotaxis detect and avoid small animals, including at night
- Deployment timing
- Musk did not specify when the update would be deployed
- Waymo animal crashes
- At least 9 reported from July 2025 to July 2026
- Domestic animals
- 6 of Waymo’s reported crashes were described as involving domestic animals
- Tesla animal collision
- 1 reported during the same period; the robotaxi was supervised
- KitKat
- Cat killed by a Waymo vehicle in San Francisco in October 2025
What people are saying
What a lot of people don't know is that Waymos are like pet destroyers,
Well, maybe Waymo's made some improvements on that front, but they do run over a lot of pets, and we don't want to run over pets.
Can we not run over the kittens, type of thing
Sources
Related news
Nothing OS 5.0 with Android 17 starts rolling out to Phone (3)
Apple lets customers prepare iPhone Duo pre-orders ahead of Friday
China’s engineering base drives its growth in electric cars and other technologies
Google launches Fitbit Edge with GPS, health tracking and replaceable battery
Students to visit Seoul industry event for semiconductor and future-car training
OnePlus launches 10,000 mAh power bank with 67W charging
Citroën unveils electric 2CV concept, with production planned for 2028
Skyworth Team Tests Walking Exoskeleton for Older People
Toshiba launches four compact eFuse chips for low-voltage power lines
Tesla renames its European Full Self-Driving feature Assisted Driving
Next iPad mini may cost about $799, up from $599
