Florida man dies after Tesla reportedly in autopilot mode strikes utility box and sinks into pond
A fatal crash in Florida is drawing renewed attention to Tesla’s Autopilot system after authorities said a Model Y left the road, struck an electrical box, and sank into a pond. One person died, while a passenger survived with non-life-threatening injuries, as Fox 13 News reported.
What happened?
The Florida Highway Patrol said the crash occurred around 8:10 p.m. Tuesday on Overpass Road in Wesley Chapel, per an official crash report obtained by Fox 13 News.
Troopers said an 87-year-old man was driving east in a Tesla Model Y SUV with Autopilot engaged when it departed the roadway east of Infinite Drive, per the report.
Investigators explained that the vehicle struck an electrical box, continued forward, and entered a nearby pond, where it became fully submerged. First responders took the driver to a hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries, the report continued.
Fox 13 News noted a 75-year-old female passenger from Wesley Chapel was also taken to a hospital and is being treated for injuries described as non-life-threatening.
Officials have not yet said what caused the Tesla to leave the road, per the outlet. It also remains unclear how deep the pond was or how long the occupants were in the submerged vehicle before rescue crews arrived.
What does it mean?
First of all, this story involves a tragic loss of life that will certainly reverberate around the driver’s friends, family, and community. It also points to troubling news for Tesla, and its proposition of autonomous driving.
Tesla has long been under fire for claims about the safety and reliability of its self-driving technology. A high-profile tragedy like this adds to fears that the technology is not truly road-ready and safe.
These accidents are also highly costly from a financial perspective, as Tesla can face massive liability when it’s determined that the tech is at fault. The company is facing up to $14.5 billion in liability threats, with many involving vehicle crashes and the self-driving tech, as Electrek detailed.
A lot of Tesla’s future is tied up in the growth of that technology, which means every time it does something inexplicable, it’s another bad data point for the company.
What’s being done?
Authorities will continue to investigate the Florida crash.
Several key questions remain unanswered, including why Autopilot would take the driver and passenger off the roadway.
For Tesla, getting to the bottom of what went wrong in this instance is critical to helping prevent future repeats of the tragic event.
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