Safety Agency Opens Probe into Tesla Crash

Jan. 9, 2020—The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)  is investigating the Dec. 29 crash of a Tesla Model 3 in Indiana, according to CNBC.

The crash is the 14th involving Tesla that NHTSA’s special crash investigation program has taken up in which it suspects the company’s advanced driver- assistance system, or Autopilot, was in use. NHTSA said its special crash investigation team has reviewed a total of 23 crashes involving vehicles where it was believed some form of advanced driver assistance system played a role.

NHTSA is investigating another Dec. 29 crash that took place in Gardena, Fla., and another one in Connecticut. The crashes raised questions about the driver-assistance system’s ability to detect hazards, especially stationary objects.