Tesla owner blames FSD suite for crash of eight cars on Thanksgiving Day

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A Tesla owner involved in a crash on Thanksgiving Day blames the company’s Full Self-Driving suite for causing eight cars to pile up on San Francisco’s Bay Bridge.

After the driver’s 2021 Model S reportedly ran with the Full Self-Driving suite, it malfunctioned, they said. An accident then occurred on I-80 with two minors going to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

Police are still trying to determine whether the suite actually malfunctioned, was even operational in the first place, or whether the statement the driver gave to police was accurate, Reuters said in its report.

A police report said the driver’s Model S made a dangerous lane change and was slowing to a stop when another vehicle hit the Tesla, and subsequent crashes occurred. There is no confirmation that the car was running in Full Self-Driving mode.

NHTSA did not comment on the crash, as the agency may work with Tesla or law enforcement to determine factors that contributed to the accident.

In past crashes involving Tesla vehicles potentially running the Full Self-Driving suite, the automaker was able to clarify some of the situations with available post-crash data.

In an April 2021 accident in Texas involving a Model S in Texas where two people perished, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that the autopilot and auto-steering systems were unable to be engaged on the part of the road where the accident occurred.

These dispelled media stories blaming full self-driving and autopilot for the crash.

Despite Tesla’s long-standing status as a company with advanced driver assistance features, it’s still a common misconception that cars can drive themselves without any human interaction. However, this is incorrect and Tesla argued that drivers should remain alert and pay attention to road conditions and surroundings in case they need to pick up the vehicle.

On its website, Tesla’s FAQ section answers the question, “Should I always be careful when using Autopilot?” The automaker responds:

“Yes. Autopilot is a convenience driver assistance system that is intended for use only with a fully attentive driver. It does not turn a Tesla into a self-driving car, nor does it make a car self-driving.

Before activating Autopilot, you must agree to keep your hands on the wheel at all times and to always retain control and responsibility for your car. Once engaged, the autopilot will also issue an increasing series of visual and audible warnings, reminding you to place your hands on the wheel if insufficient torque is applied. If you repeatedly ignore these warnings, you will no longer be able to use the autopilot during that trip.

You can override any autopilot function at any time by steering, applying the brakes, or using the cruise control stick to turn it off.

The company also says Autopilot, Enhanced Autopilot and Full Self-Driving are “intended for use with a fully attentive driver who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to take over at a moment’s notice.”

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Tesla owner blames FSD suite for crash of eight cars on Thanksgiving Day

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