US agency eyes crash of Tesla with control system
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A U.S. agency said Tuesday it has sent investigators to look into a fatal crash and fire on a California highway that involved a Tesla electric SUV equipped with a semi-autonomous control system.
The National Transportation Safety Board said on Twitter that it's not clear whether the Tesla Model X was operating on its Autopilot program at the time of the crash.
The feature is designed to keep a vehicle centered in its lane at a set distance from cars in front of it and also can change lanes and brake automatically.
The driver of the Tesla, a 38-year-old man from San Mateo, California, was killed in the crash last week on U.S. 101 in Silicon Valley, California Highway Patrol spokesman Art Montiel said.