Detroit police investigating an accident in which a Tesla Model Y crashed into a truck trailer did not believe the car’s steering system was in use at the time of the collision.
Monday’s incident left a passenger in critical condition while the driver sustained minor injuries.
The National Road Safety Administration sent a team to investigate the crash, which it described as ‘violent’. It was similar to two fatal accidents in Florida involving the Autopilot feature.
“All the indications we have at this stage are that it was not in the steering machine, and that the driver was in control of the vehicle during the accident,” Deputy Chief David LeValley told Fox 2 WJBK.
LeValley said the driver claimed he was in control and that the footage from before the collision showed the car making evasive maneuvers before the attack.
Tesla’s Autopilot can brake for obstacles, while the full self-driving feature has additional features that include stop sign and red light recognition and the ability to overtake other cars on the highway.
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A beta version of Full Self-Driving, currently being tested by a small group of Tesla owners, could drive cars into city streets without much human intervention, according to the company.
LaValley said the investigation is continuing, however, and that the data from the car will be checked to see if the driver’s aids were in use at the time of the accident.