Teslas Keep Crashing Into Emergency Vehicles
Tesla Autopilot is a well-known feature, but is it well-understood? While the name of Tesla’s semi-autonomous driving system makes it sound as though Autopilot can self-drive, the truth is far from it. Yet this hasn’t kept people from crashing their Teslas – and into emergency vehicles. Tesla Autopilot accidents are persistent, and now the NHTSA is investigating.
Tesla Autopilot isn’t autonomous
Although it’s called Tesla Autopilot, it should really be something like Tesla Semi-Autonomous. The Tesla Autopilot function is designed to allow drivers an increased amount of comfort and safety, but it doesn’t null the responsibilities of operating a vehicle. Tesla Autopilot users are still supposed to keep their hands on the wheel at all times, just like when driving a regular car.
The Tesla Autopilot function is supposed to have safety features which keep the car from being truly driverless. Unfortunately, some drivers have learned how to fool the car into thinking that there is a (coherent) driver behind the wheel. Whether that’s a factor in any or all of these crashes remains to be seen.
People keep crashing their Teslas into emergency vehicles
There have been eleven accidents to date involving Tesla’s Autopilot function and emergency vehicles. In some of the accidents, the Teslas have crashed directly into emergency vehicles. Many of them were already in the midst of dealing with another accident or incident.
According to Car and Driver, they’ve all taken place since January 2018. They all took place in nine states and generally at night. Sadly, these accidents have resulted in 17 injuries and 1 death.
Car and Driver also says that the NHTSA may end up recalling around 765,000 Teslas. This number will depend on what the problem ends up being.
The NHTSA is investigating Tesla Autopilot accidents
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating these Tesla accidents. In their report, they write that the incidents all involved “lights, flares, an illuminated arrow board, and road cones.” They also note that all the vehicles involved had Autopilot or Traffic Aware Cruise Control on during the crash.
The NHTSA will be looking at Tesla’s Autopilot feature and other technology which monitors the road and helps to navigate the vehicle. They will also be looking at “methods used to monitor, assist, and enforce the driver’s engagement with the dynamic driving task during Autopilot operation.” Right now there is concern that it’s too easy for people to circumvent the safety guards that Tesla has put in place to make sure people don’t abuse the system.
The NHTSA investigation will also look at other factors which may have played a role in any of these Tesla Autopilot accidents. Ultimately they want to understand what is the cause behind these accidents, so that they can try to prevent them from continuing to happen.
Tesla Autopilot accidents are obviously concerning, and the fact that they’re crashing into emergency vehicles is an added problem. The NHTSA makes it clear that Tesla’s Autopilot function is not autonomous. It is important that Tesla operators maintain control of their vehicles at all times. Hopefully the NHTSA’s investigation will be swift and the problem will be easy to resolve. Ideally no one else will be injured or killed before it gets resolved.
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