Report: Autopilot Was Engaged In Third Fatal Tesla-Motorcycle Crash This Summer

[advrider]

We’ve already told you about a pair of high-profile fatal collisions between motorcycles and Tesla automobiles last summer. In one case, the Tesla driver had Autopilot engaged, and the car’s AI failed to avoid the motorcyclis. Last we heard, the second one was under investigation, and regulators had not yet said whether or not that Tesla was also under Autopilot control at the time of the crash. Now, authorities in the US have confirmed that Autopilot was engaged in a third crash between a car and a Tesla last summer. In that collision, Ingrid Eva Noon was killed when she was struck by the car in Palm Beach County, Florida.

In that case, the initial sheriff’s report indicated the car driver was impaired, which led investigators to dig further into the situation. Now, CNN says investigators have confirmed that the car involved was operating under the Autopilot system at the time of the crash. Was it to blame? No, because as we’ve told you before, Tesla’s website tells us:

Autopilot advanced safety and convenience features are designed to assist you with the most burdensome parts of driving. Autopilot introduces new features and improves existing functionality to make your Tesla safer and more capable over time.

Autopilot enables your car to steer, accelerate and brake automatically within its lane.

Current Autopilot features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous.

A recent NHTSA bulletin reminded drivers of basically the same thing: Your car’s semi-autonomous driving system is not intended to replace actual human oversight and input.

However, that doesn’t stop owners from using it that way anyway, and of course, you’re going to make even worse decisions if you’re high or drunk, which that driver was in the Florida case. Add it all up, and you’ve got big problems ahead for motorcyclists, if drivers continue this pattern as self-driving cars become more prevalent—see our previous thoughts on this problem here.

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