Tesla Under Investigation By US Regulators After Fatal Virginia Crash Linked To Automated Driving

U.S. auto safety regulators are investigating a fatal Tesla TSLA crash in Virginia, suspected of using an automated driving system, CNBC reports.

A team has been dispatched to delve into a fatal crash in Virginia involving a Tesla believed to have been operating on a partially automated driving system. This recent incident, which occurred in July, marks the 35th Tesla crash being scrutinized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) since June 2016.

In these incidents, it’s suspected that the Teslas were utilizing systems like Autopilot. The death toll from these crashes stands at 17.

The crash specifics, as detailed by the Fauquier County Sheriff’s office, reveal that on July 19, a Tesla went under the side of a tractor-trailer as it exited a truck stop, resulting in the death of the Tesla driver. The truck driver faces charges of reckless driving. The potential involvement of automated driving systems in the accident is currently under investigation.

Recent incidents under the NHTSA’s lens include a head-on collision in South Lake Tahoe, California, and another in Halifax County, North Carolina. The agency is also examining multiple crashes involving Teslas suspected of using systems like Autopilot and “Full Self-Driving”.

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