The US investigates Tesla's fatal car accident, focusing on "fully autonomous driving" mode

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the United States said on July 31 that it will investigate a fatal Tesla car accident in Seattle in April this year. The Washington State Department of Transportation confirmed that the vehicle involved was operating in "full self-driving" mode at the time of the incident. This is at least the second fatal accident involving Tesla's assisted driving technology in the past two years. According to the Washington State Patrol, the 56-year-old male driver of the vehicle admitted that he was using Tesla's autopilot function and looking at his phone when the car collided with a motorcycle. The accident resulted in the death of a 28-year-old motorcycle driver, and the driver was arrested on suspicion of "vehicular homicide." Washington State Patrol spokesperson Dain Glofer said on July 30 that the vehicle's data recording system showed that the 2022 Tesla Model S was in "full self-driving" mode at the time of the accident. The investigation is still ongoing, and the driver has not been charged. The NHTSA said on July 31 that it is aware of the incident and is collecting relevant information from local law enforcement and Tesla