Tesla Robotaxi Emits Continuous Fart Noises in City
A passenger and safety driver were unable to stop the vehicle's emissions testing mode during a San Francisco ride.
Updated on Oct. 23, 2026 in Robotics
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A passenger on a Tesla robotaxi trip through the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco experienced a ride accompanied by continuous synthetic fart noises. Both the passenger and the required human safety driver were unable to disable the vehicle's emissions testing mode.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the practical limitations of controlling software-based vehicle features in a professional service setting. It also underscores that while these vehicles operate as robotaxis, they still require a human safety driver who remains in charge of system settings.
The vehicle's emissions testing mode offers 5 distinct volume levels for its synthetic sounds. This feature was originally introduced as part of a 2018 Tesla software update and can be triggered via voice commands or seat contact.
The players
Tesla
An American electric vehicle and clean energy company that develops advanced driver-assistance systems and software-defined vehicle features.
The details
The safety driver confirmed they were experimenting with vehicle settings before the passenger entered the car, but they proved unable to deactivate the feature once the trip began. The passenger also attempted to stop the noises using the Tesla mobile app with no success.
Timeline
The emissions testing mode was added to Tesla vehicles in a 2018 holiday software update.
The incident occurred during a robotaxi trip in San Francisco in October 2026.
The Tech Race
The integration of Tesla's emissions testing mode marks a departure from traditional, serious automotive software design toward interactive, feature-rich cabin experiences. This incident demonstrates the potential for play-oriented software features to interfere with the professional operation of autonomous transit services.
For riders using autonomous vehicle services, this incident highlights potential limitations in user-controlled interfaces during transit. It serves as a reminder that safety drivers currently manage the primary settings of the vehicle during the transition to full autonomy.
The takeaway
When riding in emerging autonomous services, passengers should be aware that software settings can occasionally override standard operational expectations. Users are encouraged to report persistent software issues to the operator to help improve the consistency of the vehicle interface.
Further reading
For more information on the development of automated transport, visit the Robotics section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Cool Down.
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