First Fatal Self Driving Crash Has Just Happened

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will be investigating Tesla’s autopilot mode after a recent crash that killed a driver who was using the semi-autonomous feature.

According to a statement released by Tesla, the Tesla driver was on a divided highway using autopilot when a tractor-trailer drove across the highway perpendicular to the Model S.

“The high ride height of the trailer combined with its positioning across the road and the extremely rare circumstances of the impact caused the Model S to pass under the trailer, with the bottom of the trailer impacting the windshield of the Model S.”

“Tesla’s autopilot radar tunes out things such as overhead road signs in order to avoid “false braking events,” Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Twitter.

According to the company, neither the Tesla driver nor the autopilot system noticed the white side of the high ride tractor-trailer in the bright sky.

“Autopilot is getting better all the time, but it is not perfect and still requires the driver to remain alert,” the company’s statement said. “Nonetheless, when used in conjunction with driver oversight, the data is unequivocal that Autopilot reduces driver workload and results in a statistically significant improvement in safety when compared to purely manual driving.”

The driver has not been identified but in Tesla’s statement, the company said the man “was a friend to Tesla and the broader [electric vehicle] community, a person who spent his life focused on innovation and the promise of technology and who believed strongly in Tesla’s mission. We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends.”

Disclaimer: We have no position in Tesla Motors Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) and have not been compensated for this article.