Investigation into fatal Tesla crash

01/07/2016 |

Authorities in America are investigating a death of a Tesla car driver which they think may have been caused by self-driving technology.


The crash, involving a lorry, happened in May.

The BBC reports that Tesla's Autopilot feature is under scrutiny.  The technology automatically changes lanes and reacts to traffic.

In a statement, Tesla said it appeared the Model S car was unable to recognise "the white side of the tractor trailer against a brightly lit sky" that had driven across the car's path.

The company said the crash this year was a "tragic loss".

The report says that the collision led to the death of Tesla driver Joshua Brown, 40.  The driver of the truck, which was pulling a trailer, was unhurt.

On Thursday, Tesla stressed that cars being controlled by Autopilot had travelled 130 million safe miles to date.

The company said in a statement, "The high ride height of the trailer combined with its positioning across the road and the extremely rare circumstances of the impact caused the Model S to pass under the trailer, with the bottom of the trailer impacting the windshield of the Model S.

"Had the Model S impacted the front or rear of the trailer, even at high speed, its advanced crash safety system would likely have prevented serious injury as it has in numerous other similar incidents."

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