USA regulators has found no evidence of any defects in Tesla electric cars after investigating the death of a man whose Model S collided with a truck while he was using its Autopilot system, the first fatality involving semi-autonomous driving software.
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This, by many accounts, is in sharp contrast to the media spectacle that took place previous year after outlets were quick to falsely link Tesla Autopilot to being the root cause behind the fatal crash.
The NHTSA began investigating Tesla’s Autopilot system previous year after a 2015 Model S collided with a tractor-trailer that crossed a divided highway in Florida.
The NHTSA said it closed the investigation as a safety-related defect trend was not identified and further examination of the issue did not appear to be warranted.
Musk quickly pointed out that the report inadvertently praised Tesla’s software, noting that crash rates for Tesla vehicles dropped by 40 percent after the Autopilot system incorporated Tesla’s Autosteer capability in a system update.
The agency will also be looking at how these systems monitor drivers to make sure they’re alert and how they warn drivers of the need to take control of the vehicle when it becomes necessary, he said.
Still, the report noted the Autopilot system “requires the continual and full attention of the driver.to avoid crashes”.
It’s good news for Tesla Autopilot, which has come under scrutiny in the past few months following the fatal accident in May. “Tesla’s design included a hands-on the steering wheel system for monitoring driver engagement”. It concluded the automatic emergency braking system (AEB) was not to blame because it hadn’t been designed for such a scenario.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found no cause to order a recall of the vehicles, which have advanced driver aids capable of maintaining speed and distance to other cars on the road, lane position and overtaking.
The accident that brought Tesla’s semi-autonomous autopilot feature into the spotlight occurred near Williston, Florida in May of previous year. NHTSA says it’s fully aware of the discussions about the name, but that subject is outside the scope of this investigation.
NHTSA’s report states that there could be some confusion over who’s actually in control of the vehicle at certain times.
A driver demonstrates Autopilot features in a Tesla Model S in Palo Alto, California, in 2015.
Early responses to the crash were varied, but many called on Tesla to revoke the features as a safety measure. Last October, Consumer Reports had a more positive view on Autopilot after Tesla’s 8.0 upgrade, but said it “still needs improvement”.
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NHTSA investors asked for a copy of the data logs and extensive information regarding Autopilot’s hardware sensors and software algorithms.
