U.S. Auto Safety Regulator Launches Special Crash Investigation into Fatal Tesla Model 3 Accident
WASHINGTON, July 18 (Reuters) – The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced on Tuesday that they are opening a special crash investigation into a fatal accident in California involving a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The crash, which occurred in South Lake Tahoe on July 5, resulted in the death of a 17-year-old driver of a 2013 Subaru Impreza and a three-month-old passenger in the Tesla who died several days later.
This investigation comes amid suspicions that the Tesla Model 3 was relying on advanced driver assistance systems at the time of the collision. Since 2016, the NHTSA has opened over three dozen special crash investigations involving Tesla vehicles suspected of using systems such as Autopilot, with a total of 22 crash deaths reported.
Autopilot is a feature designed to automatically steer, accelerate, and brake cars within their lane, while enhanced Autopilot can assist with changing lanes on highways. Tesla has stated that the system requires active human supervision, but investigations are being conducted to determine if the system was being utilized correctly in this particular accident.
According to a police report, the Subaru was traveling at an estimated speed of 55 miles per hour (88.51 kilometers per hour), while the Tesla was traveling at 45 mph when the collision occurred. The Tesla driver suffered serious injuries, while two other Tesla passengers suffered moderate injuries. California Highway Patrol has stated that there are currently no charges pending, and vehicle and car seat inspections are underway.
This is the first new special crash investigation involving Tesla and suspected use of driver assistance systems since March, when two investigations were opened. One investigation involved a fatal crash in California that occurred in February, while the other investigation involved a Tesla Model Y that struck and seriously injured a student in North Carolina.
NHTSA typically opens over 100 “special” crash investigations each year to address emerging technologies and potential auto safety issues. These investigations help in the development of safety rules and regulations, such as those related to airbags. It is important to note that these investigations are separate from defect investigations that the agency conducts to determine if a safety recall is necessary.
In June, NHTSA upgraded its defect probe into 830,000 Tesla vehicles with Autopilot to an engineering analysis. This probe specifically focuses on crashes involving parked emergency vehicles, including fire trucks. The agency has requested updated responses and current data from Tesla in relation to this investigation by Wednesday.
Tesla has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the recent crash investigation.