An allegedly self-driving Tesla struck and killed a 71-year-old man, who was trying to cross a freeway in the Bay Area early Thursday morning.
The vehicle hit the elderly pedestrian at 70 mph while the 26-year-old driver claimed the car was in Full Self-Driving mode. Both the victim and the driver remain unidentified as of Thursday night.
California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers responded to the tragic crash around 2.30am on the Interstate 80 by Vallejo, about 31 miles north-east of San Francisco.
CHP confirmed: ‘The driver stated that the vehicle was being operated in Full Self-Driving (FSD) autonomous mode at the time of the crash.’
Officers, who reviewed the Tesla’s dash cam video, saw the fatal collision and said the car was driving in the middle lane while the 71-year-old suddenly crossed the freeway from the right.
‘The video showed the Tesla’s brakes being applied as the vehicle steered to the left in an effort to avoid the pedestrian,’ CHP wrote. ‘Despite these evasive actions, the right front portion of the Tesla struck the individual.’
Authorities added that they believe the man was struck by at least one other vehicle after the collision while lying on the road, but that no other drivers stopped at the scene.
It remains unclear who else hit the man with their vehicle and why the man entered the freeway in the first place.
Just this month, Musk unveiled the world’s first flying car, targeting its production to start in 2028
The tragedy is just the latest incident involving autonomous vehicles from Elon Musk’s car company. (Pictured: A Tesla Model S that fatally struck a 22-year-old girl and seriously injured her boyfriend in 2019)
A 71-year-old man was killed by an allegedly self-driving Tesla on the I-80 near the I-780 interchange by Vallejo, California. The incident occured after Sacramento man who claimed he was asleep while driving in a Tesla allegedly crashed into a California Highway Patrol cruiser a few days before
‘The Solano Area CHP extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased during this difficult time,’ the agency added.
The tragedy is the most recent headline-making incident involving Elon Musk’s cars.
Just a few days ago, a 22-year-old man claimed to be asleep when his allegedly self-driving Tesla crashed into a CHP cruiser on the I-80 in Fairfield.
This summer, an elderly woman was killed in her own living room after a Tesla Model 3 plowed through her suburban Texas home. The vehicle involved was operating ‘with an automated driving assistance system,’ police said.
In February, Tesla had to fork out almost $250 million to the family of a woman who was killed when a Model S car struck her and her boyfriend while on autopilot. The 22-year-old girl died from the impact while her partner suffered serious injuries during the crash in 2019.
Just this month, the entrepreneur announced a new technology, unveiling the world’s first flying car. Musk said he is targeting 2028 to begin production of the new sports car called Roadster.
The Daily Mail contacted Tesla for comment and the Solano Area CHP for updated information.
