A Tesla owner informed the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that his vehicle crashed in California using its Full Self-Driving software. According to news reports, the 2021 Model Y’s owner filed a complaint with federal safety regulators after a crash on Nov. 3.
The driver reported that the car veered into the wrong lane and collided with another driver in the adjacent lane. Media outlets reported that NHTSA reached out to Tesla for additional information. The automaker has not made any comments on this incident.
Serious Safety Issues with Self-Driving Software
Some people have criticized Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software, calling it controversial. The add-on software costs up to $10,000, but some critics say it is not exactly “full self-driving” as the name suggests. In other words, they say, it could be misleading to market the vehicles as “fully autonomous.”
Electrek, a blog about electric vehicles, posted a more detailed account of the California driver’s complaint. It said the vehicle “gave an alert halfway through the turn, ” and the driver attempted to turn the wheel to prevent it from going into the wrong lane. It added that the car took control and forced itself into the wrong lane, “creating an unsafe maneuver and putting everyone involved at risk.” The complaint also stated that the Model Y suffered severe damage.
NHTSA is already investigating Tesla’s semi-automated driver-assist software, Autopilot, which is standard in all of its vehicles. Between June 2016 and May 2021, NHTSA investigated 36 car accidents that involved Tesla electric vehicles and/or other vehicles with self-driving features. Thirty of those investigations involved Tesla vehicles, eight of which resulted in fatalities, and five others caused serious injuries.
The Need to Put Safety First
Tesla’s so-called full self-driving system appears to have problems similar to those of Autopilot. In both cases, the name gives the impression that drivers can count on the vehicle to operate itself safely. However, the owner who complained reported that the vehicle exhibited a “mind of its own” and veered into the wrong lane despite the driver’s attempts to correct its course.
This is truly disturbing. Tesla must either slow down or halt its rollout until it resolves all safety concerns. Automakers cannot use the public as experimental subjects to roll out these new technologies. Safety must always come first. If you’ve been injured, contact an autonomous car accident lawyer.
Brian Chase
Articles, blogs, and content have been reviewed by legal in-house staff. Brian Chase is the managing partner of Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys, LLP. He is the lead trial lawyer and oversees cases handling dangerous and defective products that injure consumers. Brian is a top-rated injury attorney with numerous legal honors and awards for his work relating to auto defects and dangerous products. His firm has recovered over $1B for its clients. Brian is a frequent speaker for CAOC, Dordick Trial College, and OCTLA, covering personal injury trial techniques.
