Tesla Sedan In Autopilot Mode Hits Laguna Beach Police SUV

LAGUNA BEACH (CBSLA) — A Tesla driver suffered only minor injuries Tuesday after her sedan crashed into a parked Laguna Beach police car while in autopilot mode, officials said.

The Tesla sedan was driving southbound on Laguna Canyon Road when it collided with a Laguna Beach Police Department SUV this morning, according to Laguna Beach police Sgt. Jim Cota.

The police SUV ended up with its two passenger-side wheels on a sidewalk.

According to Cota, the officer was not inside the SUV at the time of the crash. An unidentified woman reportedly driving the Tesla was treated for minor injuries.

In March, a driver was killed when a Model X with the autopilot mode engaged hit a barrier while traveling at "freeway speed" in California. NHTSA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating that case.

This week, Palo Alto-based Tesla said Autopilot was not engaged when a Model S veered off a road and plunged into a pond outside San Francisco, killing the driver.

Earlier in May, the NTSB opened a probe into an accident in which a Model S caught fire after crashing into a wall at a high speed in Florida. Two 18-year-olds were trapped and died in the blaze. The agency has said it does not expect Autopilot to be a focus in that investigation.

Tesla has said the function is not designed to avoid a collision and warns drivers not to rely on it entirely.

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.