NTSB and NHTSA Both Looking Into Tesla Model 3 Crash That Appears Similar To First Autopilot Fatality

Another Tesla luxury vehicle has crashed into the side of a truck. If this sounds familiar, it is because the first death in a Tesla attributed to Autopilot occurred in the same state, and has a very similar set of circumstances. By all accounts, a Tesla Model 3 was traveling, and somehow found a way to smash into and through, and under the side of a semi-trailer. Like the first crash, the Tesla occupant is now dead.

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Since Autopilot was released to the public as sort of a trial and error beta test by Tesla, its cars have driven themselves into stationary and slow-moving objects killing multiple occupants. The cars have crashed into semi-trailers that were across the travel lane of the Tesla, into lane separation barriers, into firetrucks multiple times, and into parked police vehicles. These are just the crashes we know about. Owners of Tesla vehicles with Autopilot have for years discussed openly that the system took them down an off-ramp they didn't wish to take and others have reported that the system has trouble with traffic signals.

- Related: Third Tesla Crashes Into Back of Firetruck - That's Four Crashes Into Emergency Vehicles This Year

Tesla is keeping NHTSA busy. The agency is now investigating two deaths in Florida alone that occurred within the past week. The other crash involved a Tesla Model S that witnesses say was traveling at a high rate of speed, crossed a median, hit a tree and came to a stop. Passersby and police who attempted to help rescue the occupant of that Tesla say that the door handles did not pop open and there was no way they could help the driver escape.

The newest crash has the Tesla fan clubs and forum members again rising to the defense of Tesla. They are focusing on any little discrepancy in the early reporting and pointing out that other types of cars crash into things. All the while ignoring the fact that the death toll is continuing to climb and that experts studying Autopilot have openly admitted that Telsa's autopilot has a problem detecting static objects. The latest crash into a stationary or slow-moving object is not yet fully investigated, and Tesla has not said whether Autopilot was engaged. Which should not matter one bit, since $50K luxury cars should all have forward crash prevention that warns a driver and helps to slow or stop the vehicle ahead of such crashes.

Related Story: Tesla Tries To Address Autopilot's Fatal Flaw Ahead of Full Self Driving Update