Tesla driver dies in US after fire truck crash, Autopilot scanned again

IFRAME SYNC

A Tesla driver in California, U.S., died on Saturday after crashing into a fire truck on an interstate, Reuters reported. That once again brought the automaker’s famous driver assistance system, Autopilot technology, into the spotlight. The recent accident has once again raised questions about whether the technology is safe. Interestingly, this comes as U.S. regulators are investigating a spate of accidents involving parked emergency vehicles involving Tesla vehicles equipped with the Autopilot driver assistance system.

go through:
HT car station

|
Updated on:
February 20, 2023 at 09:54 am

It's unclear if Tesla is equipped with Autopilot.  (Bloomberg)
It’s unclear if Tesla is equipped with Autopilot. (Bloomberg)

Referring to the latest accident, the Contra Costa County Fire Department said in a tweet that a passenger in the EV was taken to a hospital in critical condition. A fire department official also said that four firefighters suffered minor injuries in the accident and were released after evaluation.

Also read: Which Indian cities have the most comprehensive EV policies?

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said Thursday that its investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot and related vehicle systems, which it launched in 2021, is still ongoing. The agency is reviewing whether Tesla vehicles are adequately securing drivers’ attention.

The move comes after Tesla announced a recall of more than 362,000 vehicles in the U.S. to update its Full Self-Driving beta software after regulators worried that the driver-assistance system was not adequately complying with traffic safety laws and could lead to crashes. It’s unclear if the particular Tesla vehicle that hit the fire truck was equipped with FSD Beta.

Over the past few years, multiple Tesla vehicles have been involved in major accidents. In some cases, Tesla vehicles have been reported to drive themselves when Autopilot is engaged. In some cases, they slam on the brakes when they don’t need to, and in many cases, Tesla vehicles don’t slam on the brakes even when there’s an obstacle ahead, despite Autopilot being on.

First published date: Feb 20, 2023 at 09:54 AM CST

https://auto.hindustantimes.com/auto/electric-vehicles/tesla-driver-dies-in-us-after-fire-truck-crash-autopilot-under-scanner-again-41676865737529.html

Leave a Comment