Published 05:31 IST, December 10th 2019
Tesla Model 3 on autopilot mode rams into two cars in Connecticut
A Tesla Model 3 car crashed into a police car and another vehicle, both parked, while on autopilot in the US state of Connecticut on Sunday.
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A Tesla Model 3 car crashed into a police car and another vehicle while on autopilot in the US state of Connecticut on Sunday. At the time of the incident, both the police and the other vehicles were parked. The driver of Tesla car explained to the police that he was checking on his dog which was in the back seat prior to hitting the collision. The accident happened on Interstate 95 in Norwalk, Connecticut.
No injuries reported
The Tesla driver was issued a misdemeanour summons for Reckless Driving and Reckless Endangerment. Fortunately, police informed that no one involved was seriously injured, but noted that this incident could have been more severe. The police car, struck at its rear, was parked behind the broken down vehicle with its blue lights flashing, as it waited for a tow truck. The Tesla Model 3, which starts from $36,000 in the US, continued travelling forward, leading it to hit the car in front.
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Connecticut State Police
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Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal called for regulation of Tesla’s autopilot feature
Autopilot accidents not uncommon
Autopilot enables Tesla vehicles to steer, accelerate and brake automatically within their lanes and interchange between different lanes. However, Tesla says the system still requires “active driver supervision,” according to the Elon Musk-owned company’s website. The incident is the latest to join a rising number of deadly accidents of the Tesla model while on autopilot. In total, there have been at least five fatalities reported worldwide involving Tesla vehicles on autopilot. The US government's National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently investigating accidents caused by autopilot.
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Updated 06:59 IST, December 10th 2019