NTSB: Tesla ‘limitations’ had role in deadly crash
Lawmakers should require car companies to use new technology that effectively forces drivers to pay attention to the road when using partially self-driving vehicles, Federal transportation safety officials recommended on Tuesday.
The National Transportation Safety Board’s unanimous recommendation followed its ruling that Silicon Valley automaker Tesla shared the blame for what’s believed to be the first deadly crash involving such a car.
The design of Tesla’s so-called Autopilot technology contributed to a crash that killed an Ohio man in May 2016, the four-person panel said. But the NTSB also ruled the driver had an “overreliance” on the technology and there were no technical defects.
Robert Sumwalt, chairman of NTSB, said Tesla’s “operational limitations played a major role in this collision.”
Joshua Brown, an Ohio resident, was killed when his Model S luxury electric car crashed at high speed into a semi-truck while using Tesla’s self-accelerating, steering and braking. NTSB concluded both drivers had “at least 10 seconds” to spot each other but there was “no evidence of any evasive action” by either. The agency did not interview the truck driver, who refused to cooperate in the investigation.
The board said Tesla Autopilot “functioned as designed” but noted no vehicles currently on the road are capable of monitoring and responding to cross-traffic like the truck that killed Brown.
NTSB unanimously recommended that automakers limit the use of partially self-driving technology by ensuring that drivers are engaged at all times. The board concluded Tesla’s method of making sure the driver’s hands are periodically on the wheel is not enough and instead suggested solutions, such as a camera that tracks eye movement and disengages self-driving systems if the driver is not paying attention.
In response to the hearing, Tesla said it’s “very clear” that “Autopilot significantly increases safety.” But the company said it would evaluate the NTSB recommendations “as we continue to evolve our technology.
“We will also continue to be extremely clear with current and potential customers that Autopilot is not a fully self-driving tech- nology and drivers need to remain attentive at all times.”
The automaker has emphasized that drivers are always responsible for keeping their hands at the wheel and monitoring their surroundings. But NTSB officials said Tesla’s method of reminding the driver to grab the wheel “was not an effective method for ensuring driver engagement.”
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said technological advancements implemented after the crash probably could have prevented it.
The accident is believed to be the first deadly crash in which an American driver was relying on self-driving technology. The victim’s family said it did not blame the car for Brown’s death. “That is simply not the case,” the family said. “There was a small window of time when neither Joshua nor the Tesla features noticed the truck making the left-hand turn in front of the car.” The family praised Tesla for using the situation to improve its technology.