As federal safety investigators continue to investigate the first fatal crash allegedly involving Tesla’s autopilot feature, a preliminary report found that the vehicle was speeding before the collision.
The National Transportation Safety Bureau released a preliminary report Tuesday providing additional details about the May 7 crash that killed the driver of a 2015 Model S in Florida.
The crash occurred on a divided highway, where the vehicle collided with a tractor-trailer that was making a left turn across the Tesla driver’s lane.
According to the report, the Tesla system performance data downloaded from the car indicated that vehicle speed just prior to impact was 74 mph. The speed limit in that particular zone was 64 mph.
“Using three-dimensional laser scanning technology, NTSB investigators documented the crash location, the damaged semitrailer, and the damaged car,” the preliminary report states. “The Tesla was equipped with multiple electronic systems capable of recording and transmitting vehicle performance data.”
NTSB confirmed in the report that the vehicle was operating in Tesla’s semi-autonomous Autopilot mode and that the vehicle was equipped with automatic emergency braking designed to automatically apply the brakes to reduce the severity of or assist in avoiding frontal collisions.
While the report provides some additional information on the crash, NTSB notes that the crash remains under investigation and officials — with NTSB, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and Tesla — continue to collect and analyze data.
NHTSA opened the investigation into crash in July, noting the incident “calls for an examination of the design and performance of any driving aids in use at the time of the crash.”
by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist
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