Tesla-caused crash was linked to driver-assistance technology, according to government data

Matt McFarland, CNN Business

The Tesla Model S that braked hard and triggered an eight-car crash in San Francisco in November had controversial driver-assistance software activated within 30 seconds of the crash, according to data released by the federal government on Tuesday.

According to the data, the speed of the Tesla Model S on the highway at the time of the accident was reduced to 7 miles per hour. The publicly released video also shows the car pulling into the leftmost lane and braking hard.

A Tesla driver told authorities that the car’s “full autonomous driving” software unexpectedly braked and caused a Thanksgiving crash. CNN Business first reported last month on a driver’s claim that “full self-driving” was active.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration then announced that it was sending a special accident investigation team to investigate the incident. The agency typically conducts special investigations of about 100 accidents per year.

Pilap took place hours after Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that its “fully self-driving” driver assistance system is available to anyone in North America who has requested it and paid for the option. Previously, Tesla restricted access to drivers with high scores on its safety rating system.

“Full Self-Driving” is designed to keep up with traffic, follow lanes and obey traffic signals, but despite Tesla’s name, it requires an attentive human driver ready to take full control of the car at any time. moment. This delighted some Tesla drivers, but also alarmed others for its shortcomings. Tesla warns drivers on the car’s screen when they set up “full autonomous driving” that it “might do something wrong at the most inopportune moment.”

Tesla does not normally interact with professional media and did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.

“We are proud of the effectiveness of Autopilot and its impact on reducing road traffic accidents. The benefits and promise of Autopilot are clear from the Vehicle Safety Report data we have been sharing for 4 years,” Tesla said this month in an update to its Vehicle Safety Data.

Road safety experts have long questioned the merits of Tesla’s findings showing fewer crashes when driver-assistance technologies are active because, among other things, they are typically used on highways where crashes are already less frequent.

Tesla’s driver-assistance technologies, autopilot, and “full self-driving” are already being investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration after reports of unexpected braking occurring “without warning, randomly, and often repeatedly in the same trip.” says in the statement.

The agency has received hundreds of complaints from Tesla users. Some described close crashes and fears for their safety.

Brian Reimer, an autonomous vehicle researcher at MIT’s AgeLab, told CNN Business that the revelation that driver-assistance technology was involved raises questions about when the NHTSA will act in its investigation and what the future holds for Tesla’s driver-assistance feature.

“How many more accidents will happen before the NHTSA releases the results?” Reimer said.

Reimer said it remains to be seen if any of Tesla’s driver-assistance features will be withdrawn and what that means for the future automaker. Previously, Musk said the company would be “virtually zero” if it didn’t provide “full autonomous driving.”

This story has been updated to reflect that the driver assistance system was active for 30 seconds after the crash.

The-CNN-Wire
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According to government figures, the Tesla-caused car clutter was due to driver-assistance technology first seen on the KION546.

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