The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is looking into 11 crashes in nine different states involving Tesla vehicles that were using Autopilot, Tesla's partially automated driving system.
The initial assessment will look into Tesla’s autopilot systems and the way the driver-assistance technology works to determine what the NHTSA’s next steps should be.
“This probe needs to go far beyond crashes involving first-responder vehicles because the danger is to all drivers, passengers and pedestrians when Autopilot is engaged,” Jason Levine, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, told the Associated Press.
There were 17 injuries and one death that resulted from the 11 crashes being investigated. The NHTSA is investigating these mishaps that occurred since the start of 2018.
According to the AP, the investigation covers 765,000 vehicles, which make up most of what Tesla has sold since the 2014 model year. The agency’s assessment will affect Tesla Model Y, Model X, Model S and Model 3 electric vehicles built between 2014 and 2021.
The NHTSA says the 11 cases were chosen for investigation due to the fact that they all involved cases where first responders were using flashing lights, flares, an illuminated arrow board or traffic cones, and the Tesla vehicle had Autopilot or Traffic Aware Cruise Control engaged prior to the crashes. Most of the incidents happened after dark, according to Car and Driver.
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