Feds suspect Tesla using automated system in firetruck crash
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U.S. investigators suspect that a Tesla was operating on an automatic driving technique when it crashed into a firetruck in California very last thirty day period, killing the driver and critically injuring a passenger.
The Nationwide Highway Targeted visitors Safety Administration said Wednesday it has dispatched a particular crash investigation staff to appear into the Feb. 18 crash in Northern California exactly where emergency responders experienced to slice open the Tesla to take out the passenger. 4 Contra Costa County firefighters experienced slight accidents.
The probe is component of a more substantial investigation by the agency into a number of situations of Teslas on Autopilot crashing into parked unexpected emergency autos that are tending to other crashes.
The $1.4 million ladder truck was weakened in the crash on Interstate 680. The truck was parked to protect a crew clearing an additional accident, fireplace officials explained.
The driver of the the 2014 Tesla Design S was declared dead at the scene.
NHTSA is investigating how Tesla’s Autopilot technique detects and responds to emergency motor vehicles parked on highways. At minimum 15 Teslas have crashed into crisis automobiles nationwide even though applying the process.
Authorities reported the truck experienced its lights on and was parked diagonally on northbound lanes of the freeway to guard responders to an earlier accident that did not result in injuries.
The lethal incident transpired all-around 4 a.m., and it took many several hours to distinct the freeway. The firetruck experienced to be towed absent.
The Product S was amid the nearly 363,000 autos Tesla recalled in February since of possible flaws in “Full Self-Driving” a extra innovative partly automatic driving system.
The remember, to be completed with an on the internet program update, is aimed at correcting probable troubles at intersections and with velocity boundaries.
Despite their names, Tesla has reported the two methods are highly developed driver aid units and that human motorists should be prepared to intervene at all instances.
Messages ended up still left Wednesday trying to get remark from Tesla, which has disbanded its public relations division.
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Source website link On Monday afternoon, federal investigators announced that they suspect Tesla Inc. had used an automated system in the crash of a firetruck on Highway 101 in California last month.
The firetruck, operated by the Los Angeles Fire Department, was hit in the rear at a high speed while driving southbound on the highway. The truck was sent spinning and flipped onto its side, resulting in five injuries to the crew members.
Following the incident, the National Transportation Safety board (NTSB) opened an investigation. On Monday, NTSB accident investigator, Victor Wicklund, told reporters that evidence obtained so far “strongly suggested” that an automated system known as Autopilot was engaged at the time of the incident.
Tesla’s Autopilot system is similar to other automated highway driving systems, as it uses sensors and cameras to detect hazards and adjust speed and steering automatically. While this allows for a more comfortable and efficient drive, it also poses risks in emergency situations.
Wicklund noted that the investigation is still pending, and that it could take up to a year until its findings can be released. However, Wicklund added that evidence had been obtained that indicated Tesla’s Autopilot may indeed have been responsible for the crash.
If this proves true, the incident could be an important lesson for both the automotive industry in general, and Tesla in particular. While automated driving systems are improving, they still present potential risks—especially in sudden and unexpected driving situations.
