Tesla Vehicle Without Driver Collides with Tree... 2 Dead

Accident Presumed During Use of Autopilot Function

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] A Tesla vehicle without a driver in the driver's seat caused a collision accident, resulting in the deaths of two occupants.

The police suspect that the accident occurred while using Tesla's semi-autonomous driving feature, 'Autopilot,' and are investigating the detailed cause of the accident.

After the Tesla vehicle collided with a tree, a fire broke out, leaving only the bare frame. It was investigated that no one was seated in the driver's seat of the vehicle.

According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 18th (local time), a Tesla vehicle carrying two men crashed into a tree near Houston, Texas, and caught fire, resulting in their deaths.

According to the police, one of the deceased was found in the front passenger seat, and the other in the back seat.

The police stated, "Although this is a preliminary investigation, it appears certain that there was no one in the driver's seat of the vehicle."

The authorities are investigating whether the vehicle's Autopilot feature was activated at the time of the collision. They determined that the accident vehicle was driving at high speed on a curved road.

Tesla advises drivers not to take their hands off the steering wheel when using the Autopilot feature, but concerns have grown that many consider Autopilot to be a fully autonomous driving function.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating whether the Autopilot feature was involved in more than 24 collision accidents related to Tesla vehicles.