Kyle Shanahan, head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, was involved in a head-on crash on July 14, 2026, in Palo Alto, California, while driving his Tesla Model S with Autopilot engaged [1, 2, 3]. The accident occurred when Shanahan’s Tesla crossed into oncoming traffic and collided with a Mercedes-Benz SUV [1, 2].
Shanahan suffered a concussion, three broken ribs, a broken left hand, a broken nose, and facial cuts requiring more than 40 stitches [1, 2, 3]. He has limited his coaching duties during the 49ers training camp as he recovers from these injuries [1, 3].
The coach said he took his eyes off the road to retrieve a phone that fell to the backseat, contributing to the crash. "Dropping a phone, it falling all the way to my back seat to where I have to fully take my eyes off the road, it's something that I normally wouldn't do," Shanahan said [1, 2, 3]. He added he is uncertain whether the Autopilot malfunctioned or if he inadvertently disengaged the system while looking for his phone. "Who knows what happened ... whether I knocked it off I don't know yet," he said. "But regardless, it's always your fault. Whether you're on autopilot or not, you can't take your eyes off the road" [1].
Shanahan, who has used Tesla's Autopilot for about nine years, said the crash has given him a new perspective on the risks of fully trusting driver-assistance technology. "It's a partnership driving. You don't just turn it over to a computer. It's a good lesson, no matter how comfortable I am with that, that I believe someday could save my life or someone else's," Shanahan said [3]. He acknowledged feeling responsible, stating, "Anytime you cause an accident that can be avoided, you feel pretty stupid, especially when you have a chance to hurt someone else" [1].
Under Shanahan, the 49ers hold an 82-67 regular season record and a 9-5 postseason record, with NFC titles in 2019 and 2024 [1]. Shanahan plans to coach the team in their preseason opener against the Tennessee Titans on August 13, 2026 [1, 2, 3].
