A fatal collision involving a Tesla Model 3 in South Lake Tahoe, California, has attracted special attention from federal investigators. The accident, which occurred on the evening of July 5, involved a head-on collision with a Subaru Impreza that resulted in the Subaru driver’s death. An infant passenger in the Tesla also reportedly died last week.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has initiated an investigation, as part of a series of inquiries into accidents involving Teslas believed to be equipped with automated driving technology.
The NHTSA previously dispatched investigators to the site of a March 15 crash in Halifax County, North Carolina, that injured a 17-year-old student. The driver of the 2022 Tesla Model Y, a 51-year-old male, had failed to halt for a bus displaying active warning signals.
The NHTSA’s deployment of special investigation teams to crash sites often indicates a suspicion that the involved Teslas were using systems capable of managing some driving aspects, such as Autopilot and “Full Self-Driving.” However, Tesla insists these technologies are driver-assist systems and that drivers should always be prepared to intervene.
Since 2016, the NHTSA has dispatched investigative teams to at least 30 crashes involving Teslas believed to be using partially automated driving systems, leading to at least 16 fatalities. These incidents underscore the importance of thorough investigation and regulatory oversight of emerging automotive technologies to ensure their safe and responsible use.