Fatal Arizona crash among U.S. probe of Tesla’s ‘Full Self-Driving’ system
Fatal Arizona crash among U.S. probe of Tesla’s ‘Full Self-Driving’ system Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving“ system is being investigated by the U.S. government’s road safety agency in response to allegations of incidents in low visibility, including one that claimed a pedestrian’s life.
According to records, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began the investigation on Thursday after the firm reported four accidents involving Tesla vehicles that were hit by dust, fog, and sun glare.
According to the organization, another crash resulted in injuries in addition to the pedestrian’s death.
The ability of “Full Self-Driving” to “detect and respond appropriately to reduced roadway visibility conditions, and if so, the contributing circumstances for these crashes” will be examined by investigators.
Approximately 2.4 million Teslas from the 2016–2024 model years are included in the study.
Tesla, which has maintained that human drivers must always be prepared to step in and stop the system from driving itself, was contacted Friday for comment.
Tesla unveiled a completely autonomous robotaxi without a steering wheel or pedals at a presentation last week at a Hollywood studio. Musk stated that the business intends to have autonomous Models Y and 3 operating without human drivers by the end of the year. Musk has previously made promises about autonomous vehicles. He stated that in 2026, robotaxis without steering wheels would be accessible in Texas and California.
It’s unclear how the inquiry may affect Tesla’s plans to develop self-driving technology. Any robotaxi without pedals or a steering wheel would need NHTSA approval, which is unlikely to occur while the inquiry is ongoing. However, state rules would probably apply if the corporation attempted to include autonomous vehicles into its current models. Although autonomous vehicles must adhere to general safety laws, there are no federal regulations that are especially targeted at them.