Tesla In Full Self-Driving Mode Hits, Kills 71-Year-Old Pedestrian In California

A 71-year-old pedestrian has died after a Tesla in Full Self-Driving mode struck him as he crossed a freeway in Vallejo, California, United States.

The fatal crash occurred at about 2:35am on Thursday on westbound Interstate 80, near the Interstate 780 interchange, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) said.

The man’s identity has not been released. Emergency responders found him with fatal injuries and pronounced him dead at the scene.

According to the CHP, the Tesla driver, a 26-year-old man from San Francisco, told investigators that the vehicle was operating in Full Self-Driving mode at the time of the collision.

A preliminary review of the car’s dashboard camera footage showed the pedestrian entering the freeway from the right shoulder and attempting to cross towards the central divider as the Tesla approached at about 70 miles per hour.

The footage reportedly showed the vehicle braking and swerving to the left in an apparent attempt to avoid hitting the man.

“Despite these evasive actions, the right front portion of the Tesla struck the individual,” the California Highway Patrol said.

The pedestrian was apparently struck again after the initial collision, with authorities saying at least one other vehicle hit him while he lay in the traffic lanes.

The drivers of the other vehicles did not stop, and their identities remain unknown.

The Tesla driver, however, stayed at the scene, cooperated with investigators and provided the dashboard camera footage to the authorities, the CHP said.

The agency’s Solano-area office is investigating the crash and has appealed to witnesses and anyone with information about the other vehicles involved to come forward.

The incident has drawn attention to the safety of automated driving systems and their ability to respond to hazards on public roads. However, the preliminary findings have not established that the Tesla’s driving-assistance technology caused the collision.

The CHP has urged motorists to remain attentive and responsible while driving, stressing that the use of Full Self-Driving technology does not remove a driver’s responsibility for the safe operation of a vehicle.