Tesla’s autopilot system, which, contrary to its name, does not allow the car in to drivehas been involved in an accident once again. This time, a 2019 Tesla Model 3 with activated autopilot crashed into two cars parked next to a road near downtown Orlando, Florida.
On Saturday morning, a 27-year-old Model 3 driver crashed into a Florida Highway Patrol parked car., el Associated press reported. The road patrol officer had stopped to help another driver who was having problems with his vehicle when the Model 3 collided with the cruiser. He could barely miss the highway patrol officer, who had gotten out of his car. The Model 3 then proceeded to crash with the other vehicle parked.
Fortunately, there were no fatalities as a result of the accident. The 27-year-old Model 3 driver and the driver of the other car receiving assistance sustained minor injuries. Meanwhile, the road patrol officer was not unharmed, according to the AP.
Officials are still investigating the cause of the crash. CNBC points out that IIt has not yet been determined whether the Tesla autopilot caused or contributed to the crash.
Gizmodo contacted Tesla for comment on Saturday, but received no response at the time of publication. Given that Tesla dissolved your PR team last year, we are unlikely to get a response, but we will make sure to update this blog if we do.
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The latest accident that affected Tesla’s autopilot comes almost two weeks after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation to the company’s assisted driving system. Specifically, it will focus on 11 incidents dating back to 2018, when Tesla cars with autopilot or speed control activated collided with the parked cars emergency vehicles. The incidents resulted in 17 injuries and one death.
NHTSA research will cover Tesla cars manufactured between 2014 and 2021, including the Tesla Model Y, Model X, Model S and Model 3 models, which total approximately 756,000 vehicles.
Although the agency only investigates accidents on emergency vehicles, Tesla’s autopilot system has been involved in numerous incidents. in which drivers have not been devoting all their attention to the car. Some drivers have been found drunk and asleep at the wheel. Others have crashed because they were looking at their phones.
In addition to the NHTSA, Tesla may have the attention of another agency in the future. Shortly after the NHTSA unveiled its investigation, Democrats Richard Blumenthal and Ed Markey he asked Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan will examine the company’s “potentially misleading and unfair” marketing and advertising practices for its driving automation systems.
In their letter, senators rightly pointed out that Tesla’s autopilot and full-driving functions are only partially automated and that there are no vehicles on the market that can be driven at this time.
“Understanding these limitations is essential, as when drivers’ expectations exceed their vehicle’s capabilities, serious and fatal accidents can occur, ”Blumenthal and Markey wrote.