Not Tesla Autopilot But Drunk Driving Caused Fatal 2021 Car Crash, Federal Probe Finds

Tesla Inc. TSLA is likely to be exonerated of charges over the electric vehicle maker’s Autopilot driver assistance system causing fatal car cash in 2021.

What Happened: The crash involving a 2019 Tesla Model S P100D electric vehicle in Spring, Harris County, Texas, on April 17, 2021, killed the driver following damage to the front of the high-voltage lithium-ion battery case that started a fire. This led to the death of the driver and the passenger on board.

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A National Transportation Safety Board probe has found that the crash was probably caused by the driver’s excessive speed and failure to control his car due to alcohol intoxication in combination with the effects of two sedating antihistamines. This resulted in a roadway departure, tree impact and the post-crash fire, the agency added.

The NTSB recommended that EV manufacturers provide information on how to extinguish fires in their emergency response guides in a standardized format and also provide vehicle-specific information.

An update to the investigation issued in October showed that both driver and passenger seats were occupied at the time of the crash.

Price Action: Tesla shares were rising 3.18%, to $207.70, in premarket trading on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

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