Photo: FHP
On August 16, 2021, NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) opened an investigation on Tesla’s driving aid systems with a very specific target. The goal was to understand why these EVs crash so often with emergency vehicles. Until then, there were 11 wrecks reported to NHTSA. On August 28, the FHP (Florida Highway Patrol) Orlando added one more crash to that list.
According to FHP Orlando’s tweet, a Tesla Model 3 that was on “auto” mode struck a patrol car that stopped on I-4 to help a disabled driver whose Mercedes-Benz stopped working. The trooper was already outside the vehicle and would have been “extremely lucky” to have not been struck by the white Model 3. The Tesla hit the patrol car and the Mercedes-Benz, which looks like a GLS. After the crash, the WB lanes of I-4 remained closed for the scene to be cleared.
A report from WFTV said the crash is now under investigation and that it was not clear if any charges would be filed against the Tesla driver, although that is very likely. There is no self-driving car on the road today, and Tesla has a disclaimer stating that the driver is responsible at all times for whatever happens when they are in the vehicle, whether properly driving the EV or trying to prove it is autonomous. WFTV is after the patrol car video to show how the accident happened. The Model 3 may have also recorded the whole thing.
NHTSA should include the new incident in its investigation. Sadly, the warning about the probe was not enough for drivers to pay more attention to the road. As for Tesla, as fast as the company is, there was no time to prepare a corrective OTA (over-the-air) update to fix the problem with emergency vehicles. On the other hand, if that were possible, Tesla would have probably already taken care of the situation: the first reported crash against emergency vehicles happened on January 22, 2018.
A report from WFTV said the crash is now under investigation and that it was not clear if any charges would be filed against the Tesla driver, although that is very likely. There is no self-driving car on the road today, and Tesla has a disclaimer stating that the driver is responsible at all times for whatever happens when they are in the vehicle, whether properly driving the EV or trying to prove it is autonomous. WFTV is after the patrol car video to show how the accident happened. The Model 3 may have also recorded the whole thing.
NHTSA should include the new incident in its investigation. Sadly, the warning about the probe was not enough for drivers to pay more attention to the road. As for Tesla, as fast as the company is, there was no time to prepare a corrective OTA (over-the-air) update to fix the problem with emergency vehicles. On the other hand, if that were possible, Tesla would have probably already taken care of the situation: the first reported crash against emergency vehicles happened on January 22, 2018.
Happening now: Orange County. Trooper stopped to help a disabled motorist on I-4. When Tesla driving on “auto” mode struck the patrol car. Trooper was outside of car and extremely lucky to have not been struck. #moveover. WB lanes of I-4 remain block as scene is being cleared. pic.twitter.com/w9N7cE4bAR
— FHP Orlando (@FHPOrlando) August 28, 2021
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