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Fatal Tesla Accident Raises Concerns About Self-Driving Software Safety
As Tesla continues to test its self-driving features, the number of injuries and fatalities associated with the autopilot feature has skyrocketed. As such, many consumers are understandably skeptical about Tesla’s safety.
A recent accident involving a Tesla in autopilot mode killed two people in China. The November 13 accident showed the Tesla first attempting to park, then accelerating and swerving, eventually crashing into a building and killing 2 people and injuring 3 others. The driver stated that he had tried to brake, but the automated system malfunctioned and he was unable to stop the car.
This is not an isolated incident.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, statistics show that over the course of the last year, 474 accidents occurred involving Teslas with advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), https://www.nhtsa.gov/laws-regulations/standing-general-order-crash-reporting. Further, of the total reported accidents involving all types of vehicles with ADAS, Teslas were involved in the highest number of fatal accidents.
While Tesla maintains that it is trying to improve the safety of its autopilot software, many remain wary of using the technology. Dan O’Dowd, a safety engineer, calls the Tesla’s full-self driving technology the “worst commercial software I’ve ever seen.” He funded the Dawn Project, a study that found that some Teslas are unable to detect children while in self-driving mode. Two recent fatal accidents have raised concerns about the safety of the cars’ operating systems, as well as the fire safety of their lithium batteries.
For more information, or if you or a loved one has been injured in a Tesla accident, please contact Hilliard Law’s compassionate and dedicated team of attorneys, at 1-800-334-329, or through our contact page HERE to request a free case evaluation.
