A 71-year-old man was killed after a Tesla operating in Full Self-Driving mode struck him.
The driver, a 26-year-old man from San Francisco, told California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers that the vehicle’s Full Self-Driving system was engaged at the time of the collision. The fatal crash comes days after a separate incident involving a Tesla using Full Self-Driving on Interstate 80 near Fairfield, California. On October 13, a Tesla struck a California Highway Patrol patrol vehicle, injuring two officers inside. The 22-year-old driver from Sacramento reportedly told officers that he had fallen asleep while using the system.
The driver stopped at the scene and provided the recording to officers. The pedestrian was left lying in a traffic lane and was subsequently struck by at least one other vehicle. First responders determined that he had suffered fatal injuries. No other drivers stopped at the scene. The Tesla drove through safety cones before hitting a CHP Dodge Charger. The latest incident has renewed attention on the limitations of driver-assistance technology and the responsibility motorists retain when using such systems.
Three CHP patrol vehicles had their emergency lights activated as officers responded to an earlier fatal collision, with four lanes closed at the time.