Tesla Autopilot's Vehicle Crash Linked to Driving Features

The U.S. auto-safety regulators have launched a special accident investigation into a fatal accident involving a Tesla vehicle that caused the death of three people.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced a survey on Wednesday, identifying vehicles like the 2022 Tesla Model S. It added incidents that may be related to the semi-automatic driving feature to the list of car accidents under investigation.

The regulatory agency says they are investigating more than 30 cases in which a Tesla vehicle suspected of using autopilot was involved in a serious accident. According to NHTSA records, some of the other Tesla vehicles on the list also resulted in fatalities.

Many of these so-called advanced driver assistance systems still want drivers to be involved and take over as needed, but they are not strictly regulated in the United States of America and vary widely depending on the manufacturer.

This latest NHTSA probe is the latest in the agency's efforts to investigate Tesla's autopilot. EV manufacturers say they need to assist drivers in tasks such as steering and maintaining a safe distance from other vehicles on the road. Tesla tells the driver using the system to pay attention to the road and grab the steering wheel.

The agency announced a separate investigation into the system itself after receiving reports of dozens of crashes involving Tesla vehicles that crashed into the first responder vehicles.