U.S. road safety officials are investigating a fatal crash near Seattle in April, where a Tesla vehicle operating on the company’s “Full Self-Driving” system struck and killed a motorcyclist. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced on Wednesday that they are collecting information on the incident from law enforcement officers and Tesla.
According to investigators from the Washington State Patrol, data retrieved from the event-data recorder of the 2022 Tesla Model S involved in the crash confirmed that the vehicle was using the self-driving system at the time of the accident. While no charges have been brought against the driver yet, the investigation is ongoing.
Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk recently stated that the “Full Self-Driving” system should be capable of running without human supervision by the end of this year, despite acknowledging past over-optimism on the timeline for such advancements. Musk has been emphasizing Tesla’s future in self-driving software and robotics, aiming to position the company as a leader in artificial intelligence and robotics technology.
Tesla offers two automated driving systems, with “Full Self-Driving” having more advanced capabilities than Autopilot. However, the company stresses that neither system is fully autonomous, and human drivers must remain prepared to take control at all times. “Full Self-Driving” is currently being tested on public roads by selected Tesla owners.
The NHTSA has previously required Tesla to recall both the “Full Self-Driving” system and Autopilot for safety concerns and compliance issues. The agency is also investigating the effectiveness of a previous Autopilot recall. Tesla has not responded to requests for comments on the recent crash investigation.
