Tesla remains in the crosshairs of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), because various media reported the opening of two new accident investigations involving company vehicles.
It seems that the investigations would focus on driver assistance systems and semi-autonomous driving technology, since one of them involves the Thanksgiving accident in San Francisco.
NHTSA opens two new investigations into Tesla accidents
In the aforementioned accident, a 2021 Tesla Model S was traveling over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge at 55 mph (89 km/h) when it suddenly slowed to 20 mph (32 km/h) while making a shift. of lane. This event produced a multiple collision of eight vehicles, which resulted in nine people with minor injuries.
The driver blamed the incident on Tesla’s fully autonomous driving (FSD) mode, although authorities could not immediately verify this. But now, it appears that NHTSA will examine whether or not that was the case.
Aside from the Thanksgiving crash, the government will investigate a collision involving a 2020 Model 3. Less is known about this incident, but Reuters reported that it took place in Ohio and resulted in a minor injury.
Although the investigations are just beginning, CNBC said that the NHTSA is investigating at least 41 crashes involving Tesla vehicles where automated functions such as automatic emergency braking or broader driver assistance system functions included in Autopilot, FSD and FSD Beta were involved.” According to reports, they resulted in 14 deaths.
Whether or not technology was to blame for the latest incidents is unknown, but past government investigations have cast a negative light on drivers and Tesla.
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Fountain: carscoops