The first reported crash involving Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) Beta software has been posted to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website.
However, the reports contains some allegations which raises questions about its validity.
The incident reportedly took place on November 3, 2021 in Brea, California, and involved a Model Y “in FSD Beta mode.”
According to the complaint, which was posted to the NHTSA website on November 8, the Model Y was making a left turn when it went into the wrong lane and hit another car.
The complainant alleges he tried to turn the steering wheel to avoid a crash, “but the car by itself took control and forced itself into the incorrect lane creating an unsafe maneuver.”
As a result of the collision, the car was “severely damaged on the driver side.”
There were no injuries or deaths reported in the claim.
Despite being posted to the NHTSA website, this report should be taken with caution.
The first reason is that anyone can submit a safety claim to the agency.
Additionally, the owner also claims the car “took control,” despite attempting to turn the wheel. As anyone who has tried even basic Autopilot knows, once you try and turn the wheel the software disengages immediately.
There is a minimal amount of effort required to do this, but if you were trying to avoid a collision you would certainly be turning the wheel with enough force to disengage the system.
Given the high profile nature of Tesla’s FSD Beta testing program, and the NHTSA’s current investigation into Autopilot, the agency will likely follow-up on this complaint in an attempt to verify it.
If they are unable to do so, the complaint will be removed.
Until then, it is listed on the NHTSA website under complaint ID 11439740. Here is a copy of the full complaint:
“The Vehicle was in FSD Beta mode and while taking a left turn the car went into the wrong lane and I was hit by another driver in the lane next to my lane. the car gave an alert 1/2 way through the turn so I tried to turn the wheel to avoid it from going into the wrong lane but the car by itself took control and forced itself into the incorrect lane creating an unsafe maneuver putting everyone involved at risk. car is severely damaged on the driver side.”
