Has there already been a fatality with Tesla’s so-called autopilot? A Tesla employee died – was the car to blame?
A fatal accident in 2022 raises the question of who was responsible: the driver or the luxury electric car Tesla with his “autopilot”. The “Washington Post” reconstructed the incident in Evergreen, Colorado, in which Tesla employee Hans von Ohain died.
He was reportedly using the beta version of the Full Self-Driving system when the car left the road, hit a tree and caught fire. While von Ohain was trapped in the burning car and died, his passenger Erik Rossiter survived. Although Rossiter stated that von Ohain was using the full self-driving system, the data was destroyed in the fire.
Tesla did not respond to the newspaper’s inquiries about the incident. Von Ohain’s autopsy revealed a high blood alcohol level, which precluded driving. The investigation points to possible faults with the vehicle, while courts are already hearing similar cases.
Elon Musk’s claims about the superiority of Autopilot contrast with the tragic events. The debate over responsibility in such accidents remains unresolved as victims and their families search for answers.