Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Teslas account for 273 of nearly 400 US crashes involving driver-assist systems

Teslas account for 273 of nearly 400 US crashes involving driver-assist systems

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration releases statistics collected between July 2021 and May this year
US automakers reported nearly 400 crashes in 10 months involving vehicles with partially automated driver-assist systems, including 273 with Teslas, according to statistics released by federal safety regulators.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) cautioned against using the numbers to compare automakers, saying it did not weight them by the number of vehicles from each manufacturer or how many miles those vehicles traveled.

Automakers reported crashes from July 2021 through 15 May 2022 under an order from the agency.

Steven Cliff, the NHTSA administrator, said: “As we gather more data, NHTSA will be able to better identify any emerging risks or trends and learn more about how these technologies are performing in the real world.”

Tesla crashes happened while vehicles were using Autopilot, Full Self-Driving, Traffic Aware Cruise Control or other driver-assist systems that have some control over speed and steering. The company has about 830,000 such vehicles on the road.

The next closest of a dozen automakers that reported crashes was Honda, with 90. Honda says it has about 6m vehicles on US roads with such systems. Subaru was next with 10. All other automakers reported five or fewer crashes.

In a June 2021 order, NHTSA told more than 100 automakers and tech companies to report serious crashes within one day of learning about them and to disclose less-serious crashes by the 15th day the following month.

Six people were killed in crashes involving driver-assist systems and five were seriously hurt, NHTSA said. Of the deaths, five were in Teslas and one was reported by Ford. Three serious injuries were in Teslas. Honda and Ford each reported one.

Tesla’s crash number may appear elevated because it gets real-time crash reports. Other automakers do not, so their reports may come slower or crashes may not be reported at all, NHTSA said.

Tesla’s crashes accounted for nearly 70% of 392 reported. Although Tesla calls its systems Autopilot and Full Self-Driving, it says the vehicles cannot drive themselves and the drivers must be ready to intervene at all times.

A message was left seeking comment from Tesla.

Auto safety advocates said driver-assist and self-driving systems have potential to save lives, but not until NHTSA sets minimum performance standards and requires safety improvements.

“It’s clear that US road users are unwitting participants in beta testing of automated driving technology,” said Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.

Ed Markey, a US senator from Massachusetts, said although the NHTSA data had limitations, it was not isolated evidence that Tesla has ignored regulations and putting the public in danger.

There have been “a never ending parade of reports” of Teslas on automated systems rolling through stop signs or braking for no reason, he said. NHTSA also is investigating Teslas that crash into parked emergency vehicles.

“As today’s data suggests, this contempt for auto safety laws has real-world consequences,” Markey said, urging NHTSA to take enforcement action.

NHTSA has used the data to seek a recall, open investigations and provide information for existing inquiries, officials said.

“This will help our investigators quickly identify potential defect trends that can emerge,” Cliff said. “These data will also help us identify crashes that we want to investigate and provide more information about how people in other vehicles interact with the vehicles.”

NHTSA’s order also covered companies running fully autonomous vehicles: 25 reported a total of 130 crashes. Google spinoff Waymo led with 62, followed by Transdev Alternative Services with 34 and General Motors-controlled Cruise with 23.

Waymo said it had more than 700 autonomous vehicles in its fleet. The company is running a ride-hailing service in Arizona and testing one in California. The company said all crashes happened at low speeds, with air bags inflating in two.

In 108 crashes involving fully autonomous vehicles, no fatalities were reported and there was only one serious injury. In most crashes, vehicles were struck from the rear.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
EU Majority Demands Hungary Reverse Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws
Top Hotel Picks for 2025 Stays in Budapest Revealed
Iron Maiden Unveils 2025 Tour Setlist in Budapest
Chinese Film Week Opens in Budapest to Promote Cultural Exchange
Budapest Airport Launches Direct Flights to Shymkent
Von der Leyen Denies Urging EU Officials to Skip Budapest Pride
Alcaraz and Sinner Advance with Convincing Wins at Roland Garros
EU Ministers Lack Consensus on Sanctioning Hungary Over Rule of Law
EU Nations Urge Action Against Hungary's Pride Parade Ban
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
U.S. Considers Withdrawing Troops from Europe
Russia Deploys Motorbike Squads in Ukraine Conflict
Critics Accuse European Court of Human Rights of Overreach
Spain Proposes 100% Tax on Non-EU Holiday Home Purchases
German Intelligence Labels AfD as Far-Right Extremist
Geert Wilders Threatens Dutch Coalition Over Migration Policy
Hungary Faces Multiple Challenges Amid EU Tensions and Political Shifts
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Any trade deal with US must be based on respect not threats', says EU commissioner
UK Leads in Remote Work Adoption, Averaging 1.8 Days a Week
Thirteen Killed in Russian Attacks Across Ukraine
High-Profile Incidents and Political Developments Dominate Global News
Netanyahu Accuses Western Leaders of 'Emboldening Hamas'
Ukraine and Russia Conduct Largest Prisoner Exchange of the War
×