TEXAS, USA – Two people died last Saturday in an accident involving a Tesla driving without anyone behind the wheel, which took place in Harris, Texas in the United States, north of the city of Houston, according to county authorities .
One of the dead was in the passenger seat and another was in the back seat. The corresponding authorities assured this Sunday (April 18) that they have “99.9%” certainty that “no one was driving the vehicle at the time of the impact”.
Tesla crashed into a tree at high speed on a curve and it took four hours to put out the fire.
Investigators are trying to determine whether the airbags were deployed and whether the vehicle has activated steering assistance, an intelligent assistance system that Tesla markets as “autopilot” or “autopilot”.
For its part, the US company requires drivers to be aware of driving to take control of the vehicle and invites them to activate the intelligent assistance system, as it is safer than driving without it.
The accident occurred when Tesla began testing a system with some of its drivers “Total autonomous driving”. Despite this innovation, the car company requires the driver to always keep his hands on the wheel.
Experts have criticized the company for using terms such as “automatic pilot” and give the vehicle a false appearance of autonomy.
For its part, the United States Highway Safety Agency (NHTSA) is considering imposing rules to ensure the attention of drivers, while new driving automations are being implemented in the automotive industry.
NHTS is investigating more than twenty Tesla electric vehicle accidents while using the power steering system.
Likewise, Tesla CEO Elon Musk defended the safety record of his electric cars and, this week, assured that driving assistance allows a possibility “10 times less” of accident.
With information from La República