Claim For an Accident Involving a Tesla or FSD Car?

Here’s What You Need to Know About Seeking Compensation

With advanced driver-assist systems like Tesla’s Full-Self Driving (FSD) and Ford’s Blue Cruise hitting UK roads, what happens if you want to claim for an accident involving a Tesla or FSD car?

With the arrival of these cutting-edge technologies on our roads, many people are asking: What happens if one of these vehicles is involved in a crash? Can you claim compensation if you’re hit by one? Who’s responsible in an FSD accident – the driver, the car company, or the software?

However, if you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving a FSD car, Jefferies Claims works with highly experienced lawyers who can advise on whether you have a potential claim.

First, the Basics: FSD is Not (Yet) Fully Autonomous in the UK

To clear up one big misconception – no car legally on UK roads in 2025 is “fully self-driving.”

In fact, there has been concern voiced by Tesla owners that the 2022 Tesla Model Y was sold with ‘Full Self Driving’ (FSD) as one of the advanced driver assistance features. However, according to reports, Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk has admitted that cars fitted with Tesla’s HW3 on board computer system might not support full self-driving.

Claims for compensation may be made in this regard.

Tesla’s FSD, Ford Blue Cruise, and similar systems such as Volvo Driving Assist, offer driver assist technologies and may fall within the category Level 2 autonomy. This means:

The car may have different features. Examples of these include adaptive cruise control, lane centring, lane change and some vehicles may even have hands-free capability.
But the human driver always remains legally responsible.

Therefore Level 2, or even Level 3, still requires a driver’s attention at all times. So, even if a driver is “letting the car do the work,” they’re still on the hook if something goes wrong.

You Were Hit by a Driver Using FSD — Can You Claim Compensation?

Yes, if you were a pedestrian, cyclist, or another motorist and were injured in an accident involving a car using Tesla FSD or another driver-assist system:

You can make a claim against the driver’s insurance, just like with any car accident.
The use of FSD or Blue Cruise doesn’t change the legal process or reduce the driver’s liability.

What If You’re the Driver and FSD Made a Mistake?

Let’s say you were driving a car with driver-assist technology and it:

Braked unexpectedly (“phantom braking”).
Failed to stop at a junction.
Swerved or collided while changing lanes.

If that results in a crash:

You’re still responsible, because you were legally in control of the vehicle.
Your insurance will likely cover the damages.
You cannot shift blame to the car manufacturing company just because the car was in FSD mode.

To avoid liability, you’d have to show the system was defective and that’s a much more complicated legal route.

Product Liability: Can You Claim From the Manufacturer?

If you believe the accident was caused by a faulty driver-assist system, you may be able to claim from the manufacturer under the Consumer Protection Act or general negligence law.

To succeed, you would need to be able to:

Prove the system did not perform as safely as consumers are entitled to expect.
Show that the failure directly caused the crash.
Possibly present expert evidence or diagnostics to support your claim.

These cases are technical, and difficult to win, unless the defect is widely known or acknowledged (e.g. in a recall or legal precedent).

What FSD Means in the UK Today

It’s Still a Supervised Driver-Assist System (Level 2)

Despite the name, Tesla FSD in the UK remains SAE Level 2. This means the driver must monitor and intervene at all times.
The UK’s Department for Transport has blocked Tesla from offering unsupervised FSD on UK roads as of early 2025.

Trials, Not Full Roll-Out

Tesla has has conducted public trials in London. This included demonstrating FSD navigating complex junctions like Swindon’s Magic Roundabout and central London landmarks with a safety driver on board. The trials aim to demonstrate the capabilities of Tesla’s FSD technology in real-world conditions and gather data for regulatory approval.
While the current trials involve a safety driver, Tesla has also been testing a robotaxi service in Texas, which does not feature a safety driver. Furthermore, it plans to produce a “Cybercab” with no steering wheel or pedals.

Features You Can Buy, But Can’t Fully Use

UK buyers can purchase an FSD option, but many features are disabled until regulatory clearance. In fact, Tesla’s documentation confirms that the Autopilot, Enhanced Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous.

As of mid-2025, no consumer vehicles qualify as fully autonomous in the UK. So, for now, driver responsibility remains the rule.

What You Will Need to Build a Strong Claim

Here are some key tips to help you gather critical evidence if you’ve been in an accident:

Dashcam footage (yours or from others).
Accident reports (police, witness statements).
Vehicle diagnostics (if a fault is suspected).
Medical records (for injury-related claims).
Legal advice (especially for product liability cases).

Get in Touch

As more vehicles with advanced driver-assist systems arrive on our roads, there may be more legal disputes about who’s in control when things go wrong. However, for now the law is clear – if you’re involved in an accident with a car using FSD or Blue Cruise, the driver is still responsible.

We partner with highly experienced lawyers who will assess all aspects of your case and who work on a ‘No Win, No Fee’ basis.

📱 Call Jefferies Claims today at 0333 358 3034
📝 Or complete our online contact form to arrange a free, no-obligation telephone consultation.