Two Tesla crashes kill three, spark NHTSA investigation

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating two fatal Tesla crashes,media reported.NHTSA has launched a special investigation into a recent fatal crash in California in which a Tesla driver struck and killed a pedestrian.In addition, NHTSA is also investigating a July 6 Tesla crash in Florida that killed two people.

In the Florida accident, a Tesla vehicle slammed into the rear of a tractor-trailer parked at a truck stop, killing the driver and a passenger inside the Tesla.An NHTSA spokesman said the agency was aware of the accident and was in communication with Tesla about the incident.

Florida Highway Patrol spokesman PV Riordan said it was unclear whether the autopilot system was activated at the time of the crash."Our investigators will gather as much information and data as possible when investigating this accident. We may contact Tesla if additional information is ultimately required."

Image credit: Tesla

NHTSA is currently investigating 16 incidents in which Tesla's self-driving vehicle collided with a parked emergency vehicle.It is reported that these accidents resulted in 15 injuries and 1 death.Most of these incidents occurred after dark, and the software ignored on-site controls such as warning lights, flashing lights, warning cones and illuminated arrow boards.Recently, the investigation was upgraded to an "engineering analysis," which is usually the second stage of an investigation and the final stage before a possible recall is initiated.

Tesla tops the list of crashes published by the U.S. government while using active driver assistance features.Tesla's numbers are much higher than those of other companies, likely due to the fact that it has sold more vehicles with Level 2 autonomous driving systems than its competitors.Tesla also collects real-time telematics data from its owners, making it faster to report to regulators.

From July 20, 2021, to May 21, 2022, there were 273 accidents involving Tesla Autopilot, according to NHTSA.Tesla accounted for the majority of the 392 crashes reported during that period.

In 2016, Joshua Brown was the first person to die using Tesla Autopilot when he drove a Tesla Model S into a tractor-trailer that was crossing its driveway.Three years later, Jeremy Beren Banner, another Tesla owner, was killed on a Florida highway in very similar circumstances: His Model 3 collided with a tractor-trailer crossing the driveway, and Banner Also using Autopilot at the time.