Autopilot vehicles are supposed to be safe, but the U.S. regulators of the industry have stepped up to state that they will be investigating due to a link between Tesla’s Autopilot feature and an increase in collisions.
According to the news report from Aug. 16, 2021, the regulators plan to review the data and investigate the feature due to 11 crashes that involve the Tesla models (Models S, X, 3 and Y) colliding with emergency vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has stated that a review was opened on August 13 and will be looking at around 765,000 vehicles produced between the years of 2014 and 2021.
How will the review help keep the roads safe?
The goal is to look at the driving technologies added to the Tesla models and to determine the effectiveness of the Object and Event Detection and Response system in these vehicles.
At the time of the crashes mentioned above, all 11 of the Tesla vehicles were in either Traffic Aware Cruise Control or Autopilot mode. The NHTSA also mentioned that there had been another 23 accidents in which Autopilot may have played a role, but those are not linked to emergency vehicle collisions.
What is Tesla Autopilot?
Tesla Autopilot is a type of advanced driving assistance system, which is better known as ADAS. At this level, the ADAS is not meant to drive the vehicle completely on its own. Instead, drivers are means to remain ready to drive and to take control of their vehicles at all times.
What can people do if they’re hurt in Tesla-related collisions?
Like with any other kind of collision, if you are injured as a result of a vehicle’s malfunction or a defect, you may be able to pursue compensation through a personal injury claim against the manufacturer. If you’re hit by someone driving a Tesla who was not paying attention to the road, then you may be able to pursue a claim against them and, potentially, the company as well. Artificial intelligence is not foolproof, so if you’re involved in a collision, it’s a good idea to look into your legal options.