The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) claims that a Tesla vehicle that collided with a fire truck, killing the driver and injuring firefighters, had Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” autopilot engaged at the time of the crash.
Breitbart News previously reported that a Tesla driver who was suspected of using Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” automated driving system crashed into a fire truck in the Bay Area, killing the driver and injuring multiple firefighters on Interstate 680 in Contra Costa County, California. The fire engine “was stopped at the rear of the scene to protect personnel and assist in traffic diverting,” the California High Patrol wrote on Facebook.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 31: Elon Musk attends Heidi Klum’s 2022 Hallowe’en Party at Sake No Hana at Moxy LES on October 31, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images)
Tesla highway crash (The Associated Press)
Now, SFGate reports that the automated driving system of the Tesla is thought to be to blame for the crash, according to the NHTSA, which has been investigating the accident. The NHTSA has been examining a large collection of incidents that question how Tesla’s system recognizes parked emergency vehicles. At least 15 accidents involving Teslas and emergency vehicles have occurred nationwide, including this one.
The vehicle involved in the crash was a Tesla Model S from 2014. Due to problems with the “Full Self-Driving” feature, Tesla recently recalled over 360,000 vehicles. The Model S involved in the accident was one of those vehicles. The possibility that the cars’ cameras might not accurately detect roadside obstacles, such as emergency vehicles, prompted the recall.
Tesla has been promoting its autonomous driving technologies, including the Full Self-Driving feature, for some time. FSD supposedly enables the vehicle to navigate without human intervention, however, in recent years, especially after several high-profile crashes involving Tesla vehicles, the safety of these systems has come under scrutiny.
There are numerous ongoing investigations into Tesla’s automated driving systems, including the NHTSA investigation. There have been a number of incidents where Tesla vehicles have collided with stationary objects like parked cars and highway barriers, in addition to collisions involving emergency vehicles.
Read more at SFGate here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan
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