DETROIT —— The U. S. government’s road safety companyThe U. S. Department of Homeland Security sent a team to investigate the possibility that a Tesla involved in an accident in California that killed 3 other people operating on a partially automated driving system.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed Wednesday that it had sent a special accident investigation to investigate the May 12 crash on the Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach.
The investigation is part of a broader investigation across the company into accidents involving complex motive force assistance systems such as Tesla’s Autopilot. Since 2016, the company has sent out groups on 34 injuries in which the systems were in use or suspected of working. 34, 28 concerned Teslas, according to an NHTSA document released Wednesday.
Fifteen other people died in the injuries NHTSA is investigating, and at least 15 others were injured. Of the deaths, 14 occurred in Tesla-related injuries, according to the documents.
In addition to fast crashes, NHTSA has ongoing investigations into Autopilot Teslas crashing into emergency cars parked along highways, such as an investigation into Autopilot braking for no apparent reason.
Last June, the NHTSA or automakers asked automakers to report any twist of fate on public roads involving fully autonomous cars or cars with partially automated motive force assistance systems. Partially automated systems can keep a vehicle focused in its lane and at a distance from cars in front of it. The NHTSA says the data can show if there are no unusual patterns in the target spins involving the systems.
A message was left Wednesday seeking comment from Tesla, which is based in Austin, Texas. NHTSA would not comment beyond the publication of the document.
Tesla warns drivers with Autopilot, as well as its “Total Autonomous Driving” system, that cars cannot drive themselves and that drivers will need to be prepared to interfere at all times.
NHTSA is also investigating two injuries involving Volvos, a Navy round-trip accident, two involving Cadillacs, one in a Lexus and one in a Hyundai. March 2018.
During the Newport Beach crash, police were called around 12:45 p. m. m. y found that a 2022 Tesla Model S sedan crashed into a side sidewalk and then hit a structure on the south side of the road.
Authorities discovered two men and a woman dead in the car, and three members of the structure’s staff were injured, according to police.
The Newport Beach Police Department said it called its main investigation team into the twist of fate.
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