Tesla vehicles are equipped with an Autopilot system that provides driver assistance by handling certain driving tasks, such as maintaining the car’s position on the road. This feature allows drivers to temporarily let go of the steering wheel. However, data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that since 2018, there have been 11 reported accidents involving Tesla cars using the Autopilot system, leading to the initiation of an official investigation.
The incidents involved Tesla vehicles approaching emergency scenes and colliding with vehicles present at those scenes. The NHTSA confirmed that these vehicles were operating either in Autopilot or Traffic Aware Cruise Control mode at the time of the accidents.
An investigation covering around 765,000 Tesla vehicles will delve into the technologies and mechanisms employed to monitor and enforce driver engagement while the Autopilot system is active. The goal is to evaluate the system’s effectiveness and methods in assisting drivers with the driving task.
The U.S. has opened an investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot system due to challenges in detecting parked emergency vehicles. Since 2018, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has recorded 11 such incidents. https://t.co/zC1tltVjZC
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 16, 2021
In a prior examination by the NHTSA in June, 30 Tesla accidents dating back to 2016 were scrutinized. The NHTSA emphasized that while advanced driving assistance features can enhance safety by helping drivers avoid accidents or minimize their impact, current vehicles are not completely autonomous. Drivers are responsible for correctly and prudently utilizing these features.
As of the latest update, Tesla has not issued a response following the announcement of the investigation. In 2020, Andrej Karpathy, Tesla’s director of autonomous driving technology, acknowledged challenges with the Autopilot system’s ability to identify flashing emergency lights on vehicles.
