The chief U.S. automotive regulator initiated an inquiry on Monday following a Tesla vehicle utilizing an autonomous driving feature crashing into a residence in Texas, resulting in the tragic death of a 76-year-old woman inside. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced the commencement of a special review into the incident involving a Tesla Model 3 that occurred near Houston last Friday. This vehicle was equipped with technology that Elon Musk views as pivotal for the company’s future endeavors.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, is actively introducing robotaxis powered by automated software in various U.S. cities this year and intends to extend an invitation to Tesla owners to incorporate their vehicles into the autonomous fleet using the same system nationwide.
According to a police report on the crash, the driver informed the Harris County Sheriff’s Office that he was utilizing the technology at the time of the incident. However, it remains unclear whether the technology played a role in the tragic event.
Tesla did not provide a comment in response to a request, but the head of the company’s artificial intelligence division hinted on social media that the self-driving feature was not at fault. The individual stated that the driver manually overridden the self-driving function by fully pressing the accelerator pedal to the maximum in a residential area.
The police report confirmed that the driver was not under the influence of alcohol and is cooperating with the authorities. The victim of the crash was identified as Martha Avila.
Video footage obtained from KHOU-TV depicts the Tesla vehicle speeding across the front lawn of a brick house in Katy, Texas, before crashing into a front room. Subsequent images show the car lodged inside the house amidst debris of broken plaster, fractured beams, and scattered furniture.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has previously initiated multiple investigations into Tesla, including a recent probe into 58 incidents where Teslas allegedly violated traffic laws while using autonomous technology, leading to numerous crashes, fires, and injuries. In addition, an investigation was launched earlier into Tesla’s delayed reporting of crashes as required.
Over the past decade, the NHTSA has opened 46 special crash investigations involving Teslas utilizing self-driving or driver-assistance technology. Records indicate that in more than a dozen of these incidents, involving crashes, there were fatalities among drivers, passengers, or pedestrians.
Tesla faced a significant decline in stock value last year following a drop in car sales due to a boycott of Musk after his involvement in political matters. Musk has since transitioned the Tesla narrative towards AI and robotaxis, which has been received positively, reflected in a 16% increase in the company’s stock over the past year.
