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Investigators Rule Out Tesla Autopilot Use During Fatal Model S Crash in Newport Beach

After a Tesla Model S crashed in Newport Beach last year, killing three people in the car and injuring another three on the ground, many suspected Tesla Autopilot might have been involved. The authorities have now ruled out this possibility and believe substance abuse and speeding were the main factors.
Investigators rule out Tesla Autopilot use during fatal Model S crash in Newport Beach 8 photos
Photo: KCAL News via YouTube | Edited
Investigators rule out Tesla Autopilot use during fatal Model S crash in Newport BeachInvestigators rule out Tesla Autopilot use during fatal Model S crash in Newport BeachInvestigators rule out Tesla Autopilot use during fatal Model S crash in Newport BeachInvestigators rule out Tesla Autopilot use during fatal Model S crash in Newport Beach2022 Tesla Model S crashed and killed three people in this location: NHTSA will investigate it2022 Tesla Model S crashed and killed three people in this location: NHTSA will investigate it2022 Tesla Model S crashed and killed three people in this location: NHTSA will investigate it
Crashes involving Tesla cars get more attention from the media, often because of its safety assist systems, Autopilot or Full Self-Driving. Especially when the NHTSA starts an investigation, many automatically assume this has to do with the agency’s probe into Tesla’s safety assist systems. That was also the case with the Tesla Model S crash in Newport Beach on May 12, 2022. The collision was one of the 34 involving self-driving tech investigated by the NHTSA since 2016, with 28 involving a Tesla vehicle.

On May 12, a Tesla Model S traveling “in great excess of the speed limit” did not make a right turn on the Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach and slammed into construction equipment. Three people inside the Tesla were killed in the crash, and three on-site workers were injured. After the NHTSA included the collision as part of its probe into Autopilot-related accidents, the media quickly blamed Tesla Autopilot as the cause of the crash.

Tesla has retrieved the pre-crash data from the car’s “black box” computer, revealing that the Autopilot was not activated during the crash. This means that the vehicle was under the driver’s control. After analyzing all the information, investigators now consider that substance abuse and speeding caused the tragic accident. This is a small victory for Tesla. Its safety assist features have been under scrutiny for years.

This is not the first time Tesla’s safety assist features have been questioned after high-profile crashes. In a recent collision in Contra Costa, California, a Tesla Model S crashed into a firetruck on Interstate 680. The collision looked like dozens of others involving Teslas colliding with emergency vehicles. This was one of the reasons why the NHTSA opened a special investigation into this incident. Interestingly, the Tesla Model S involved in the crash was a 2014 model that may not have had Autopilot capabilities. Tesla only fitted Autopilot on its cars from September 2014.

Out of the 28 crashes involving Tesla and investigated by the NHTSA, more than half have happened while using advanced driver assistance systems such as Autopilot or FSD. The others are also suspected, although the investigations have not yet concluded. There are only four cases, including this one, when the authorities have ruled out the use of Autopilot. Early statistics released by the NHTSA show that almost 32,000 people were killed in car crashes in the U.S. in just the first nine months of 2022.
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About the author: Cristian Agatie
Cristian Agatie profile photo

After his childhood dream of becoming a "tractor operator" didn't pan out, Cristian turned to journalism, first in print and later moving to online media. His top interests are electric vehicles and new energy solutions.
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