49ers coach Kyle Shanahan thinks his Tesla was on autopilot before crash

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Kyle Shanahan said Saturday he thought his Tesla was in autopilot mode when he veered into oncoming traffic on June 14, causing a crash that left the 49ers coach with broken bones and a lingering concussion.

In his first podium appearance since the collision, Shanahan said the autopilot function apparently switched off when he tried to retrieve a fallen cell phone while traveling south on Alma Avenue in Palo Alto. The coach said he’s been using autopilot in some form for nine years.

“So I’m pretty comfortable with it and, you know, who knows what happened when I turned around — whether it malfunctioned or whether I knocked it off?” he said. “That’s something I don’t know yet.”

“But regardless, that’s always your fault, whether you’re on autopilot or not,” he continued. “You can’t take your eyes off the road. (Driving) is a partnership. You don’t just turn it over to a computer. And 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. It’s really helped me have perspective on that stuff.”

Klay Kubiak and members of 49ers talk to the media after Training Camp.

— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) August 8, 2026

The collision left Shanahan with broken ribs, a broken left hand and gash over his right brow that required more than 40 stitches to close. The driver of the other vehicle, a Mercedes SUV, was not hurt. Neither driver was cited and police said alcohol and drugs were not a factor.

Shanahan said he was returning home from a chiropractor appointment when the crash occurred.

Shanahan also announced Saturday that he intends to return to the 49ers’ sideline and coach the team’s preseason opener against the Tennessee Titans next Thursday at Levi’s Stadium.

“I can’t tell you guys how close it is,” he said. “I’m getting there. And I will be there.”