A Tesla killed a motorcyclist on Autopilot/FSD, Tesla’s own data confirms

A Tesla Model X struck and killed a motorcyclist at an intersection in Moraine last year and the crash went mostly unnoticed. But Tesla’s own report to federal regulators says the vehicle was a Model X with its driver-assist system, Autopilot or Full Self-Driving (Tesla hides which one) engaged. This is part of an ongoing Electrek investigation matching reported crashes to Tesla’s redacted NHTSA data — and it’s the clearest example yet of how completely these crashes can vanish from the public record. What happened at Germantown Pike and Hemple Around 8:15 p.m. on July 23, 2025, a three-wheeled motorcycle and another vehicle collided at the intersection of Germantown Pike (State Route 4) and Hemple Road in Moraine, according to the Moraine Police Division. The rider, Leonidas Davis, 55, was ejected; bystanders gave him first aid, but he died at the scene. The other driver had non-life-threatening injuries. Every local outlet described the other vehicle only as “a sedan.” No report identified it as a Tesla, and none mentioned Autopilot, “Full Self-Driving,” or any driver-assist system. The crash was reported as an ordinary intersection collision, and the cause was left under investigation. What Tesla told the federal government Electrek matched that crash to a report in Tesla’s filings to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, made under a Standing General Order that requires automakers to report crashes where a Level 2 driver-assist system was engaged within 30 seconds of impact. In it, Tesla identifies the vehicle not as a sedan but as a 2024 Tesla Model X, which is not an unusual mistake in first reports, and marks the automation “Engagement Status” as “Verified Engaged” — meaning it confirmed through its telematics that Autopilot or “Full Self-Driving” was active. Tesla redacts the exact ADAS system used. It logs a pre-crash speed of 49 mph and records the outcome as a fatality. And this is one of the most complete records in the entire file: Tesla says it holds the event-data recorder, telematics, video, and the police report for the crash. Then it redacts the parts that would explain it — the crash narrative, the software version, and whether the road was within the system’s approved operating area — as “confidential business information.” We’ve laid out the full record below. Electrek has reached out to the Moraine Police Division about the crash — filing a public-records request for the crash report and the video, informing the department that Tesla’s federal filing confirms the vehicle was a Model X with its driver-assist engaged, and asking whether Tesla shared its raw data, or only its own interpretation of it, with investigators. Tesla Autopilot/FSD vs Motorcyclists Motorcyclists are a documented weak point for Tesla’s driver-assist systems. There have been multiple fatal crashes in which an Autopilot-engaged Tesla struck a motorcycle from behind or failed to yield to one — including cases in Washington and Utah that drew federal scrutiny. A Tesla with its driver-assist verified engaged killing a motorcyclist at an intersection fits that pattern, and whether the system detected the motorcycle at all is exactly what the redacted narrative and video would show. How we matched it: the NHTSA record is unredacted on location (Moraine), vehicle (2024 Model X), the motorcycle crash partner, the fatality, and the month. The incident time Tesla logged, 00:09 UTC, converts to about 8:09 p.m. local — within minutes of the ~8:15 p.m. that police reported. It’s the only fatal motorcycle crash in Moraine that month. It’s therefore the same event. Electrek’s Take As we explained in our investigative hub for this ongoing investigation of fatal Tesla crashes with FSD or Autopilot involved, we are advocating for Tesla to stop redacting the data. Of all 3,953 Tesla reports, only 2 don’t carry the “[REDACTED — confidential business information]” narrative. One has nothing. Likely a mistake. And the other one is about a crash in Onamia, MN (13781-7197) back in 2023. It’s the lone record where Tesla actually wrote out a narrative, but it used the narrative section to say this crash was added by mistake and that Autopilot/FSD were not involved. This tells you everything you need to know about why Tesla redacts these narratives. IF it looks good for Tesla, it’s there; if it doesn’t, it’s redacted. When a driver-assist system is verified engaged in the death of a motorcyclist, what the car did is not a trade secret. Tesla should release the narrative, the software version, and the video, and NHTSA should stop letting it hide them. We’ll keep matching these crashes until it does. If you’re a Tesla owner, powering your EV with home solar is one of the smartest ways to lock in low fuel costs. With electricity rates climbing nearly 10% last year, home solar protects you against future rate increases. And with lease and PPA options, you can go solar with zero upfront cost and start saving immediately. If you want to find the best deal, check out EnergySage. It’s a free service with hundreds of pre-vetted installers competing for your business, so you save 20 to 30% compared to going it alone. No sales calls until you pick an installer. Get your free quotes here. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.