Tesla FSD involved in fatal I-80 pedestrian crash in California
A 71-year-old man died after being struck by a Tesla operating in Full Self-Driving mode on Interstate 80 in Vallejo, California, around 2:30 AM Thursday. The California Highway Patrol confirmed the vehicle attempted to brake and steer left before impact. This incident follows a recent FSD collision with a police car on the same highway, prompting regulators to reiterate that FSD is not fully autonomous and drivers retain operational responsibility.
Key points
- A 71-year-old pedestrian was killed by a Tesla in Full Self-Driving mode on I-80 in Vallejo, California, at approximately 2:30 AM on Thursday.
- The California Highway Patrol analyzed dashcam footage showing the Tesla applied brakes and steered left to avoid the pedestrian, but the right front corner still made contact.
- Authorities believe a second vehicle may have struck the pedestrian after the Tesla, though the Tesla driver remained at the scene while other drivers passed.
- This crash follows a separate incident on I-80 the previous week where a Tesla in FSD mode hit a stopped police car, leading to a driver claiming they were asleep.
- The CHP Solano Area office is soliciting witnesses and has reminded the public that FSD technology does not fully relieve drivers of their responsibility to operate the vehicle safely.
A pedestrian was killed in a collision involving a Tesla operating in Full Self-Driving (FSD) mode on Interstate 80 in Vallejo, California. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported that the 71-year-old man was struck around 2:30 AM on Thursday while crossing the highway. The Tesla driver remained at the scene, and dashcam footage reviewed by authorities indicated the vehicle attempted to avoid the pedestrian by applying brakes and steering left. Despite these evasive maneuvers, the right front portion of the vehicle made contact with the man.
Investigators believe a second vehicle may have struck the pedestrian after the initial impact, although the Tesla driver was the only one confirmed to stop. The CHP Solano Area office is currently seeking witnesses to help reconstruct the sequence of events. This incident adds to recent scrutiny of Tesla’s advanced driver-assistance systems, particularly after a separate FSD collision on the same highway the previous week.
In that earlier event, a driver reported falling asleep while using FSD, causing the Tesla to plow into a police car stopped at an accident scene. Following that crash, the CHP issued a public reminder that despite the name "Full Self-Driving," the technology is not fully autonomous. Regulators emphasize that drivers must remain attentive, as the system does not completely relieve them of the responsibility to safely operate the vehicle. These consecutive incidents on I-80 are likely to intensify debate over the safety and marketing of semi-autonomous driving features.
Sources
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