A Cybertruck reportedly crashed into a curb and a light post while Tesla Inc.’s TSLA full self-driving (FSD) driver assistance technology was deployed.
What Happened: The accident was flagged by Jonathan Challinger, a Florida-based software engineer.
“Soooooo my Tesla Cybertruck crashed into a curb and then a light post on v13.2.4,” Challinger wrote on social media platform X on Sunday while terming FSD “the best passive safety in the world.”
The software engineer alleged that the vehicle did not attempt to slow down or turn off the lane until it hit the curb.
“Big fail on my part, obviously. Don’t make the same mistake I did. Pay attention. It can happen. I follow Tesla and FSD pretty closely and haven’t heard of any accident on V13 at all before this happened. It is easy to get complacent now – don’t,” Challinger said while adding that he only was looking to inform Tesla of the occurrence and has dashcam footage of the accident.
Why It Matters: U.S. auto safety regulator National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) flagged concerns about Tesla’s projection of FSD on social media platform X in a letter to the EV giant last year.
Tesla's FSD technology is a driver assistance technology that requires active driver supervision. While vehicle owner manuals and YouTube videos clarify that the technology does not make the vehicle autonomous, Tesla's X account has reported or endorsed postings that "exhibit disengaged driver behavior," the auto safety regulator wrote in a letter to Tesla.
"We believe that Tesla’s postings conflict with its stated messaging that the driver is to maintain continued control over the dynamic driving task. We similarly observe that these postings may encourage viewers to see FSD-Supervised as a Chauffer or “Robotaxi” rather than a partial automation / driver assist system that requires persistent attention and intermittent intervention by the driver," the regulator said while requesting the EV giant to revisit its communications.
In October, the NHTSA also opened an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles following reports of four crashes in which FSD was engaged.
The regulator then said that it had identified four crash reports in which a Tesla experienced a crash after entering an area of “reduced roadway visibility” with FSD engaged. The reduced visibility, the regulator said, was caused by sun glare, fog, or airborne dust.
In one of the crashes, the vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian, the regulator added.
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Photo courtesy: Tesla
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