TESLA MODEL X CAUSES DEADLY CRASH ON AUTOPILOT DAYS AFTER UBER’S SELF-DRIVING CAR KILLS PEDESTRIAN
Tesla confirmed on Friday that their Model X smart vehicle was responsible for the death of a 38-year-old passenger who was driving in autopilot mode on March 23rd. The driver’s hands were off the steering wheel for at least 6 seconds before the accident occurred, and the driver had approximately 5 seconds of unobstructed view before colliding with a concrete highway safety barrier, according to the Tesla.
This deadly accident came just days after an autonomous Uber Volvo XC90 killed a woman in Arizona. On March 18th, a driverless Uber vehicle with an emergency backup driver killed a female pedestrian in Tempe, Arizona. This is thought to be the first pedestrian death related to self-driving vehicles.
Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut spoke of the Uber incident stating:
“This tragic incident makes clear that autonomous vehicle technology has a long way to go before it is truly safe for the passengers, pedestrians, and drivers who share America’s roads.”
Both recent tragedies raise questions regarding the safety of self-driving technology. As more and more driverless vehicles occupy public roads, there will be increasing questions regarding the liability riders and manufacturers are responsible for in the event of an accident.
At The Potts Law Firm, we fight for victims who have suffered personal injury or death due to automobile defects or the negligence of others. If you or a loved one have been involved in an accident involving a driverless vehicle, contact the Potts Law Firm to have your case reviewed by one of our personal injury and automobile defect lawyers.