Tesla's Self-Driving Cars Involve in New Crash Deaths: Driver Error to System Error?

Trisha Kae Andrada, Tech Times 19 October 2022, 09:10 am

According to recently disclosed government statistics, Eleven individuals were killed in collisions involving automobiles utilizing automated driving systems in the United States over a four-month period earlier this year, Fortune reported.

Advanced Driver Assist Systems Were in Use During the Crash

Even though ten of the fatalities involved Tesla cars, it is not stated from the data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) whether the technology itself was to blame or if driver error had a role.

A Ford truck was involved in the eleventh fatality. The automaker said that it must promptly disclose fatal collisions to the authorities, but it discovered that the vehicle was not equipped with its semi-autonomous driving technology.

Motorcycle collisions in Florida, California, and Utah killed four people throughout spring and summer. Safety groups report an increase in motorcycle fatalities in Tesla collisions employing Autopilot.

NHTSA is compiling a database of new fatal collisions to evaluate the safety of automated driving systems, which Tesla has been promoting. Over 830,000 Tesla automobiles in the US have the said systems. The government requires car and tech firms to record all self-driving and driver-assist system accidents.

Safety Advocates' Dissatisfaction

Michael Brooks, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, said NHTSA's continuing probes and lack of action since Autopilot issues surfaced in 2016 puzzle him.

He told Fortune he believes there is a fairly obvious pattern of poor conduct on the side of Tesla when it comes to respecting the federal safety statute, and NHTSA is "just sitting there."

Brooks noticed that Tesla collisions are hurting more non-Tesla drivers.

NHTSA's Response

Tesla employs telematics to monitor its cars and get real-time accident information. Meanwhile, according to NHTSA, accident records from other manufacturers may be delayed or not reported.

After a series of Tesla incidents involving emergency vehicles stationed along highways with flashing lights in 2018, NHTSA began examining Autopilot in August 2018. In June, that probe was escalated to an engineering analysis.

The agency found that the system was being utilized in regions where it was restricted and that many drivers ignored car warnings to prevent collisions.

NHTSA also recorded 16 collisions in which cars with automated systems collided with emergency vehicles and trucks with warning signals, resulting in 15 injuries and one fatality.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reviewed certain 2016 Tesla incidents and advised NHTSA and the automaker to restrict Autopilot's usage to safe regions. The NTSB also urged NHTSA to force Tesla to enhance its driver attention systems. NHTSA has not implemented the suggestions, as per Fortune's report. Note that the NTSB can only advise other government authorities.

Tesla's Claims

At the company's Artificial Intelligence Day in September, CEO Elon Musk claimed that, based on collisions and kilometers traveled, Tesla's autonomous systems were safer than human drivers, which several safety experts question.

Musk stated more than 3 million Teslas with automatic systems had driven on the road, which is a lot of miles driven each day. He pointed out that it will not be perfect, but the systems are much safer than not using them.

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Written by Trisha Kae Andrada