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Journalism of Courage
The Tesla team has put out a blogpost after a driver of one the Tesla Model S was killed using the Autopilot mode. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it is opening a preliminary evaluation into the performance of Autopilot in 25,000 Tesla Model S cars.
Tesla Motors Inc Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk expressed his grief over the fatal accident. He said in a tweet, “Our condolences for the tragic loss.” Full tweet here.
“What we know is that the vehicle was on a divided highway with Autopilot engaged when a tractor trailer drove across the highway perpendicular to the Model S,” said the Tesla team in a blogpost. The tean said this is the first known fatality in just over 130 million miles where Autopilot was activated.
It also explained that drivers, before activating the Autopilot mode, should keep in mind the feature is still new and in beta testing phase. The Autopilot mode is an assist feature that requires the driver to keep their hands on the steering wheel at all times.
The Tesla team said, “Autopilot is getting better all the time, but it is not perfect and still requires the driver to remain alert.” It added it is constantly working to make the Autopilot feature more safe to use and decrease the probability of injury.
