The US auto safety regulator has cleared Tesla’s Model S of defects that could have led to the death of a man who collided with a truck while using the car’s Autopilot system.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found no cause to order a recall of the vehicles, which have advanced driver aids capable of maintaining speed and distance to other cars on the road, lane position and overtaking. It placed responsibility for the accident primarily on the driver, former Navy Seal Joshua Brown.
A Tesla spokesperson said: “The safety of our customers comes first, and we appreciate the thoroughness of NHTSA’s report and its conclusion.”
Tesla chief executive Elon Musk took to Twitter to praise NHTSA’s decision, highlighting the positives of its report.
US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx told reporters on Thursday that drivers have a duty to take seriously their obligation to maintain control of a vehicle. He said automakers also must explain the limits of semi-autonomous systems. In the case of Tesla’s Autopilot, one limitation was that the system could not detect a truck trailer that crossed the road in front of the victim’s Tesla.
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