Tesla is showing off its Roadster that can do insane stunts using advanced technology, including SpaceX-derived thrusters, but a recent crash involving a Tesla equipped with the Full Self-Driving (FSD) system in California highlights that tech still has limits.
According to the California Highway Patrol, a Tesla driver involved in a crash on Interstate 80 told officers he had been asleep while FSD was engaged. The incident happened on October 13 as CHP officers were investigating a fatal collision.
Four highway lanes had been closed, with cones, flares and emergency vehicles clearly marking the area. Traffic was being directed into the slow lane, but the Tesla reportedly continued into the closed section at highway speed.
It then slammed into a parked CHP Dodge Charger carrying two officers. The 22-year-old Tesla driver suffered minor injuries, while both officers were seriously hurt. Fortunately, they have since been released from the hospital.
This Tesla crash is another reminder that despite its name and impressive tech, Full Self-Driving (FSD) is just a driver-assistance system. It can definitely “assist”, but cannot replace an actual person behind the wheel.
Source: California Highway Patrol (CHP)
