A fatal car crash near Seattle in April that killed a motorcyclist has been determined to involve Tesla’s semi-autonomous driving system. The driver of the Tesla Model S stated he was using the Autopilot system and was looking at his cellphone while the car was in motion before colliding with the motorcycle. Investigators found that the Tesla was operating on the “Full Self-Driving system” after analyzing data from the car’s event recorder. The 56-year-old driver was arrested for investigation of vehicular homicide due to his admitted inattention to driving while relying on the Autopilot mode and being distracted by his cellphone. The 28-year-old motorcyclist died at the scene, making this at least the second death in the US involving Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” system.
Tesla has two partially automated driving systems, “Full Self-Driving” and Autopilot, which can assist with driving tasks but still require human supervision. Tesla has clarified that neither system can drive independently and that human drivers must be prepared to take control at any time. Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, recently stated that “Full Self-Driving” should be capable of operating without human supervision by the end of this year. A request for comment from Tesla has not yet been returned. This incident highlights the ongoing concerns regarding the safety and limitations of autonomous driving technology, as well as the importance of responsible and attentive driving habits while using such systems.
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