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Unfortunately, a Tesla Model S driver using the Autopilot function was involved in a May 7 car accident that took his life. While the story seems clear depending on who you ask, one thing is a bit muddy at this moment: 

Did Tesla's Autopilot feature work as it should have?

Joshua Brown's Model S was involved in a collision with a tractor trailer when it crossed the highway. According to Tesla, the Autopilot system was thrown off by the trailer's white side, bright sun and elevated height. 

Given that I've had the chance to play with sensors, this completely makes sense. What makes this even more interesting is that Brown claimed to have played around with the vehicle and its respective sensors to see how vulnerable they were. Hell, he even shared video online of a close call he had when a utility truck got too close for comfort and the Model S swerved to avoid a run in. 

So, now what?

It's going to be a bit of the waiting game. We're waiting to see what NHTSA concludes.

That said, we're a bit curious: Should Tesla be held responsible from YOUR perspective, or should the electric vehicle maker walk because, ultimately, it's the driver's responsibility to control his/her vehicle?

Video of the Model S' save from April.



...The fatal crash has led to an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into Tesla’s autopilot offerings. Tesla announced the inquiry Thursday afternoon, after learning about it Wednesday evening, according to a company blog post

“It is important to emphasize that the NHTSA action is simply a preliminary evaluation to determine whether the system worked according to expectations,” the blog post read.

According to Tesla’s recounting of the collision, a tractor trailer crossed a highway on which Brown was driving, and the truck’s white side combined with a bright sun kept the autopilot system as well as the driver from noticing the oncoming danger...



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Here We Go AGAIN! Tesla Under Investigation AGAIN By NHTSA — This Time Someone Died

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