The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced on Thursday they have launched an investigation into a fatal crash involving a Tesla vehicle in California, and are looking further into another fatal crash involving a Tesla in Florida.
An investigation has been launched over an accident that took place earlier this month in California. A San Diego Tribune report from June 7 said a 2018 Tesla Model 3 went through a red light, hit a curb and went airborne before striking and killing a pedestrian.
The 39-year old driver was arrested and charged with vehicular manslaughter and with driving under the influence of drugs. (via Reuters)
The investigation will look into whether Autopilot was active at the time of the collision.
One month later on July 6 a driver and passenger in a Tesla were both killed with their car drove into the back of a semi truck parked in the southbound rest area parking lot off Interstate 75 in Florida.
A photos of the scene shared by the Florida Highway Patrol shows a severe impact, indicating the car was likely travelling at a high rate of speed in an area that was off the highway and in a parking lot.
A spokesperson for Florida Highway Patrol says they have not been able to determine if any driver-assist feature was active at the time of the crash.
The NHTSA said on Thursday they are aware of the crash and are currently communicating with Tesla about it.
These are the latest in a series of crashes that are currently under investigation by the government agency involving Tesla vehicles and suspected use of Autopilot. The NHTSA opened a special investigation last year to look at crashes involving parked emergency vehicles.
That investigation was recently elevated to an engineering analysis.
The NHTSA is also currently looking into complaints of phantom braking from several Tesla Model 3 and Model Y owners.
