Tesla Crash in 2018 Due to Multiple Issues
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) criticized the driver of a Tesla who was killed in Mountainview, California, on March 13, 2018, when his vehicle hit a barrier and burst into flames. The agency also had harsh words for Tesla, Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and manufacturers of cell phones at the late February meeting. At the time of the crash, according to the NTSB, Wei Huang, the driver of the Tesla, did not have his hands on the wheel and was playing a video game when the crash occurred.
The Crash
The Tesla Huang was driving veered off the road and hit the median barrier on Highway 101 South. After catching fire, two other vehicles also struck Huang’s vehicle. According to those at the scene, the vehicle’s autopilot was on. At the time, Tesla blamed the accident on the absence of an attenuator or safety barrier. The barrier, the company said, was removed 11 days earlier due to another accident and never replaced. Caltrans was investigating why the barrier was not replaced.
Autopilot Issues
The Tesla Huang was driving had a beta version of autopilot installed, which means it is still under development. According to the NTSB, this essentially means that the operator is acting as a test driver even on high-speed, congested roads. The glitch is that the motor vehicle operators have not been trained to perform as test drivers.
Another issue dealt with the way the autopilot in the Tesla vehicle was programmed to work. The autopilot was set to follow the bold lines on the highway. However, the bold lane lines on Highway 101 on Huang’s route faded, and the vehicle followed another set of lines that led straight into the barrier. Huang’s family said he complained that on several occasions before the crash, the vehicle steered straight into the barrier. Even so, cell phone records show Huang was actively playing the “Three Kingdoms” video game in the seconds before impact. However, experts have said that Huang was using autopilot in the manner encouraged by Tesla.
NTSB Criticism
Much of the board’s criticism was leveled at Tesla. The members felt that Tesla should have tested their autopilot in more situations before releasing it, particularly at increased speeds and with more obstacles. The board also had a criticism of the way the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration handled an accident that occurred 11 days before Huang’s crash. In this instance, a Prius driver hit the barrier on Highway 101 at 70 mph. The driver survived, but the NHTSA failed to report the barrier’s damage to Caltrans. Workers did put safety cones around the damaged stretch of the barrier, but it was not repaired before Huang hit it. One NTSB board member said that if the barrier had been repaired, Huang might have survived the crash.
Liability in This Case
Liability, in this case, involves more than just the manufacturer that allowed a vehicle that was still in the testing phase to be driven by untrained consumers. A product liability lawsuit can be filed by the family to recover damages associated with a wrongful death due to the vehicle’s design and lack of warning to drivers.
Another problem was the way the state agency Caltrans responded to the initial damage to the barrier. The agency is not alone in this. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration should have notified Caltrans after the accident that the barrier was damaged and unable to be relied on to provide impact cushioning in an accident. Due to the large stretches of highway in California, it is possible that it could be overlooked by road crews. However, a governmental agency can be held responsible for road defects that cause accident injuries.
How an Attorney Can Help
At our firm, we dispatch our investigators immediately to the accident site. They review the available evidence, such as lack of safety barriers on the highway and road marks showing if the driver was in control of his or her vehicle. Accident reconstruction techniques are also used to detail the positioning of a vehicle before and after a crash. Our investigators will interview witnesses, obtain surveillance video footage, and review government agency and police reports. Once the information is gathered, it is released to our lawyers who use it to structure a strong case for our client.
Sacramento Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento car accident attorney. If you have been injured in a Tesla vehicle, you may be able to obtain compensation. Call me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice. I can also be reached online.
I’ve helped Sacramentans since 1982 in all types of car accidents, product liability cases, and wrongful deaths.
I am a proud member of the Million Dollar Advocates and the National Association of Distinguished Counsel.
Learn more about my practice on the following pages:
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/tesla-supercharger-battery-eco-1724773/
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