Elon Musk criticized rival Waymo’s driverless vehicles over animal collisions during a Tesla Owners of Silicon Valley livestream Saturday, while describing Tesla testing aimed at helping its robotaxis detect animals in challenging conditions.
Musk said spotting a small, gray animal against pavement at night can be difficult. He said Tesla had addressed the issue and described a process of making a change, testing it and then deploying it. He did not give a rollout date or provide performance data showing how reliably Tesla vehicles detect or avoid animals.
The source reports that Waymo faced criticism after one of its vehicles struck and killed a cat in San Francisco in October 2025. The outlet cited KTVU in reporting the incident. Waymo said the cat darted under its vehicle as it pulled away after stopping to pick up passengers. The company expressed sympathy and said it would donate to an animal-rights organization in the cat’s honor.
Animal collisions have also been reported involving Tesla vehicles. Citing Business Insider and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, the source says Waymo reported at least nine animal-related crashes from July 2025 through July 2026, six described as involving domestic animals. Tesla reported one animal collision involving a supervised robotaxi during that period, according to the same account. The source notes that NHTSA cautions that differences in reporting and vehicle operations limit direct comparisons between companies.
Musk also said Tesla reviews potentially risky or confusing intersections before entering new cities, with particular attention to railroad crossings. He did not announce when the company would expand service to additional cities. The source says Fox Business sought comment from Waymo about Musk’s remarks.
