Matthew DeBord/BI
- The Florida Highway Patrol released dashcam footage of a Tesla nearly hitting a state trooper.
- The driver said the car was on Autopilot when it smashed into two cars in the highway.
- The NHTSA are investigating the Autopilot feature after it was involved in over 11 crashes at first-responder scenes.
- See more stories on Insider’s business page.
The Florida Highway Patrol released a dashcam video of a Tesla that was reportedly on Autopilot nearly hitting a state trooper.
The video shows the electric car narrowly missing the state trooper who was standing outside of his emergency vehicle. The white Tesla collided with the patrol car – which had its emergency lights flashing. The electric car then turned and slammed into the rear end of the disabled car.
The state trooper can be seen running away from the Tesla as it neared impact. At the time, the Florida State Trooper had left his vehicle to help move the disabled vehicle out of the road on Interstate 4 in Orange County.
The accident occured on August 28, but the video released on Thursday is the first the media has seen of how the incident occured. The Tesla driver said the car was on Autopilot when it failed to move over to avoid the trooper’s car.
Tesla did not respond to a request for comment from Insider.
Earlier this week, police trailed a Tesla in California that was driving on Autopilot while its driver was reportedly passed out behind the wheel. At the time, news channels noted the Autopilot feature likely saved the driver’s life.
But, Tesla’s Autopilot has been under scrutiny in recent months, after the software was linked to several fatal crashes. The program – which enables the cars to steer, accelerate, and brake within the lane – requires a licensed operator to monitor the vehicle.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is currently investigating Tesla’s driver-assist Autopilot feature after it identified over 11 crashes since 2018 in which a Tesla in Autopilot or “Traffic Aware Cruise Control” mode has struck vehicles at first-responder scenes.
The majority of the accidents have taken place at night and have included emergency vehicles with flashing lights, flares, and traffic cones.
On Thursday, the National Transportation Safety Board issued a call for video footage of a fiery Tesla crash that took place earlier this month. The Miami accident killed two people. It is unclear whether the Autopilot function was active during the crash.
At least three Tesla drivers have died since 2016 while driving with Autopilot engaged. Despite the crashes, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has repeatedly said the system helps make the cars safer than competitors.
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