KYLE SHANAHAN SAYS TESLA AUTOPILOT WAS ACTIVE DURING CRASH

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan stated that his Tesla was operating on autopilot when he was involved in a car accident on 14 July near Alma Street and Hamilton Avenue in Palo Alto, California. Speaking at a press conference during 2026 training camp, Shanahan said he dropped his mobile phone, requiring him to take his eyes off the road. He acknowledged responsibility for the accident, stating that drivers cannot rely entirely on autopilot technology. Shanahan said he was unsure whether the autopilot malfunctioned or whether he inadvertently disabled it when reaching for the phone.

Shanahan sustained a concussion, a broken left hand, a broken nose, three broken ribs, and 40 stitches above his right eye. The accident occurred approximately four weeks before his formal press conference address. He said he had used autopilot for nine years and felt comfortable with the technology, but described the incident as a valuable lesson about road safety. Shanahan told reporters that the accident was avoidable and expressed frustration at himself for the incident.

The 49ers did not publicly disclose the accident until nearly two weeks after it occurred. Former 49ers player Donte Whitner questioned whether the delayed announcement reflected a difference in how the organisation treated the head coach compared with players involved in serious incidents. Whitner stated that if a player had been involved in a comparable accident, details would have been released immediately and subjected to public scrutiny. Shanahan indicated he had discussed the lessons learned from the accident with his players.