NHTSA Probes Fatal Crash of Tesla Model S in Self-Driving Mode

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating a fatal crash involving a 2015 Tesla Model S electric sedan that was operating in Tesla’s “Autopilot” self-driving mode.

Media reports identify the driver as Joshua Brown, a Tesla enthusiast who had previously posted a video online extoling the Autopilot feature for helping him avoid a collision.

The May 7 crash occurred when a tractor trailer made a left turn in front of the Model S as it was traveling down a divided highway in Williston, Fla., according to a police report. Tesla says the car’s Autopilot system failed to notice the white side of the tractor trailer against a brightly lit sky and didn’t apply the brakes.

The crash marks the first fatality in a car under automatic control. Tesla says its Autopilot system, which is still in “a public beta phase,” has been used in more than 130 million miles of customer driving since it was introduced last November. The system enables automated steering, braking, throttle control and lane changing under many highway driving conditions.

Tesla says the system has a self-learning function that improves its performance over time. The company  drivers remain responsible for their own safety. It has urged operators to keep their hands on the wheel, even though the system doesn’t require them to do so.