Tesla car crash in California kills driver while running on autopilot

A Tesla vehicle driving in autopilot mode crashed into a roadside barrier and caught fire in a test carried out in California – according to a report by the BBC.
April 3, 2018 Read time: 2 mins

The driver of the Model X car died soon after the incident which occurred on the 23 March 2018.

In a statement, the company confirmed that autopilot was engaged with the adaptive cruise control follow-distance set to minimum. Several visual and one audible hands-on warning were sent to the driver whose hands were not detected on the steering wheel six seconds prior to the collision.

“The driver had about five seconds and 150 metres of unobstructed view of the concrete divider with the crushed crash attenuator, but the vehicle logs show that no action was taken,” the statement added.

The severity of the crash is believed to have been the result of the crash attenuator’s state at the time of the accident. The highway safety barrier, which aims to reduce the impact into a concrete lane divider, had not been replaced since being crushed in a previous accident.

Tesla’s autopilot system is said to carry out some of the functions of a fully autonomous machine such as braking, accelerating and steering under certain conditions, but operates as a driver assistance system. The company highlighted that it is not intended to work independently and that motorists are required to have their hands on the wheel at all times.

 

Urban Traffic Control

Related Content

  • Instamac promotes UltraCrete repair product
    March 22, 2018
    UK company Instarmac International is promoting its UltraCrete Instant Road Repair pothole repair product and offering it to licensees worldwide. UltraCrete is a first-time permanent repair that has been continuously developed over the past 40 years and used around the world. It is used on a daily basis in all climates, from the snowbound island of Hokkaido in Japan, to the tropical monsoon-hit roads of Malaysia and the heat of the Namibian desert. UltraCrete repairs can be returned to operational use
    Read More
  • ITS America 2016 demos feature V2I technology, truck cruise control, ADAS and more
    June 3, 2016
    ITS America 2016 San Jose, a new show representing this transformative moment in intelligent transportation, is centred on the theme “Integrated Mobility. Transportation Redefined.” Some of the intelligent systems redefining transportation will be on display – running, operating, waiting for close-up inspection and hands-on participation as part of “#THISisITS Exhibits and Demonstrations,” Monday, June 13, through Wednesday, June 15. For full information and registration options, visit www.itsamerica2016.or
    Read More
  • German ITS and telematics associations talk merger at Congress
    October 24, 2012
    Board delegations from ITS Germany and ITS Network Germany are at World Congress this week discussing a merger of the two associations. ITS Germany represents singular members of transport telematics companies, while the ITS Network acts as the umbrella organisation of regional and thematic associations. As a visible sign of intentions, ITS Germany and ITS Network share a stand at World Congress in Vienna this week. Both parties have agreed that current developments in European transport, particularly the E
    Read More
  • Connected Vehicle Technology Demonstration
    May 1, 2012
    Connected Vehicle Cooperative Safety Systems use 5.9 GHz Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) to enable vehicle active safety systems which may help drivers avoid crashes. The United States Department of Transportation (US DOT) has partnered with the Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership (CAMP) Vehicle Safety Communications 3 (VSC3) Consortium to research, develop and test the technologies that form the framework for these systems.
    Read More

Highlighted Content