US Investigating Tesla Autopilot Accidents

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) has opened an investigation into auto manufacturer Tesla’s autopilot system after 11 accidents have been reported since 2018, resulting in 17 injuries and one death.

In a report, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said investigators found that in each of the accidents, various Tesla models encountered first responder scenes and “subsequently struck one or more vehicles involved with those scenes.” The report said most of the incidents took place after dark, and each of the crash scenes involved scene control measures such as first responder vehicle lights, flares, an illuminated arrow board, and road cones. In each case, the Teslas were confirmed to have been engaged in either autopilot or traffic-aware cruise control during the approach to the crashes. The report explains that Tesla’s autopilot system — the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) — allows the vehicle to maintain its speed and lane centering. With the ADAS engaged, the driver still holds primary responsibility for identifying obstacles in the roadway or “adverse maneuvers by neighboring vehicles.”