The leading U.S. automotive regulatory body initiated an inquiry on Monday following a tragic incident where a Tesla, utilizing autonomous driving technology, crashed into a residence in Texas at a high speed, resulting in the death of a 76-year-old woman. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced the commencement of a special probe into the Tesla Model 3 collision that took place near Houston last Friday. This vehicle was equipped with advanced technology that Elon Musk views as pivotal for the company’s future endeavors.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, is introducing robotaxis powered by automated software in various U.S. cities this year and intends to allow Tesla owners to integrate their vehicles into the autonomous fleet using the same system nationwide. The driver involved in the incident informed the Harris County Sheriff’s Office that they were utilizing the technology at the time of the crash, although it remains uncertain whether this technology directly contributed to the accident.
While Tesla did not provide a comment in response to requests, the head of the company’s artificial intelligence division suggested on social media that the self-driving feature was not at fault. According to Ashok Elluswamy on the X platform, which is now part of Musk’s SpaceX, the driver manually overrode the self-driving function by fully depressing the accelerator pedal in a residential area, reaching a speed of 73 mph (119 km/h) before and after the collision.
The police report confirmed that the driver was not under the influence of alcohol and is cooperating with the authorities. The victim, identified as Martha Avila, lost her life in the tragic incident. Video footage obtained by KHOU-TV depicts the car speeding across the front yard of a residence in Katy, Texas, before crashing into a front room, ultimately becoming embedded in the structure amidst debris.
The NHTSA has previously conducted investigations into Tesla, including a recent probe into 58 incidents where Tesla vehicles purportedly violated traffic laws while utilizing self-driving technology, leading to multiple accidents, fires, and injuries. Additionally, the NHTSA initiated an inquiry earlier into Tesla’s delayed reporting of crashes as mandated.
Over the past decade, the NHTSA has opened 46 special crash investigations related to Tesla vehicles utilizing self-driving or driver-assistance features, with several of these incidents resulting in fatalities. Despite facing challenges and scrutiny, Tesla’s stock has shown resilience and growth, with a notable shift in focus towards artificial intelligence and autonomous driving under Musk’s leadership, leading to a 16% increase in stock value over the past year.
