You should NEVER upgrade to a new android release before the mandatory 6 months of bug fixes.
"Release" is the Google terminology for "it compiles, let's see if it works".
That's why most people are okay with the 3-6 months Samsung lag. They simply get a much more stable OS compared to Pixel users.
Source: owner of multiple Google devices.
I've luckily not seen a crash-to-lock-screen, that really sucks. And of course these things usually happen when you actually need them.
While driving to NYC recently, I briefly lost all signal between two bridges; the whole phone slowed down rapidly and hung within a couple of seconds, google maps frozen on screen.
For example, since upgrading when I use my "<Car Company Name> Remote App" to lock my car the phone will crash to the lock screen and get stuck there. The only way to get out of it is a hard reboot. Shocking.