A Tesla Model S that was in "Full Self-Driving" (FSD) mode hit and killed a 28-year-old motorcyclist in the Seattle area in April, police reported. The 56-year-old driver was arrested on suspicion of vehicular homicide after admitting to using his cell phone while the car's driver assistance feature was active.
Despite Tesla’s claim that its FSD software requires active driver supervision and does not make vehicles autonomous, this incident is the second fatal accident involving the technology.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) acknowledged the crash and is gathering information from local law enforcement and Tesla. Previously, the NHTSA recorded one fatal accident involving a Tesla vehicle using FSD software between August 2022 and August 2023.
Experts criticize Tesla’s reliance on a camera-based system and artificial intelligence, pointing out its potential inaccuracies. Analyst Sam Abuelsamid from Guidehouse Insights noted that the system can struggle to measure distances accurately.
Raj Rajkumar, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, emphasized the challenges of collecting and curating data for various real-world conditions.
Despite these challenges and increasing regulatory scrutiny, Tesla CEO Elon Musk remains committed to self-driving technology.
He recently shelved plans for affordable new cars to focus on FSD, predicting its success by next year.
Musk envisions future vehicles as "tiny mobile lounges" where occupants can engage in various activities, including watching movies, playing video games, working, and even sleeping.
The NHTSA has been investigating Tesla’s Autopilot since August 2021 after over a dozen crashes involving stationary emergency vehicles. In December 2023, Tesla recalled nearly all its U.S. vehicles to add safeguards to the FSD software.
Despite Tesla’s claim that its FSD software requires active driver supervision and does not make vehicles autonomous, this incident is the second fatal accident involving the technology.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) acknowledged the crash and is gathering information from local law enforcement and Tesla. Previously, the NHTSA recorded one fatal accident involving a Tesla vehicle using FSD software between August 2022 and August 2023.
Experts criticize Tesla’s reliance on a camera-based system and artificial intelligence, pointing out its potential inaccuracies. Analyst Sam Abuelsamid from Guidehouse Insights noted that the system can struggle to measure distances accurately.
Raj Rajkumar, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, emphasized the challenges of collecting and curating data for various real-world conditions.
Despite these challenges and increasing regulatory scrutiny, Tesla CEO Elon Musk remains committed to self-driving technology.
He recently shelved plans for affordable new cars to focus on FSD, predicting its success by next year.
Musk envisions future vehicles as "tiny mobile lounges" where occupants can engage in various activities, including watching movies, playing video games, working, and even sleeping.
The NHTSA has been investigating Tesla’s Autopilot since August 2021 after over a dozen crashes involving stationary emergency vehicles. In December 2023, Tesla recalled nearly all its U.S. vehicles to add safeguards to the FSD software.