Seattle Tesla Driver Who Killed a Motorcyclist Was Using Autopilot, Cops Say

I'm getting real tired of writing headlines like the above. I've been writing, talking, or screaming about Tesla's Full-Self Driving marketing scam for years now, in that it's not self-driving, nor actually autonomous.

And the fact that people keep believing it is, removing their hands, and then ending up killing people is just infuriating, especially since it's the company and its idiotic CEO that keep promoting this stupid-ass myth. No, Tesla, these cars don't drive themselves. Stop telling gullible buyers they can. 

The latest in the string of tragedies revolving around Tesla's Autopilot software is a Seattle motorcyclist who, unfortunately, lost their life when a Tesla Model S struck and killed them. And, wouldn't you know it, the authorities state that, after downloading the car's crash detection data, it was on Autopilot. 

Because of course it was. 

According to the AP, the Washington State Patrol investigators downloaded a recording from the car's "event-data recorder" from the time of the accident, which showed that the 2022 Tesla Model S was using Tesla's Autopilot system when the crash occurred. 

Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox.

 

back

Subscribe For more info, read our Privacy Policy & Terms of Use.

A reminder to everyone, Tesla's Autopilot system is not self-driving. Despite what Elon Musk, Tesla's braggadocious and potentially liable CEO, constantly says both in the press and at events. It requires the driver to keep their eyes on the road and their hands on the steering wheel, as it's prone to lane-drifting, it can't see in inclement weather, and has a habit of hallucinating what's actually on the road.

More than once have I almost been hit by someone using Autopilot on the highway because it just didn't see me on a motorcycle or even in a car. 

Speaking with the AP, though, Captain Deion Glover stated, "The investigation is still ongoing in this case." It's still unclear whether or not charges will be issued, as that'll be determined by the local prosecutor's office. That said, the driver admitted to using Autopilot and then looking down at his phone. He was arrested at the time for vehicular homicide due to his inattentiveness. 

And the Tesla Model S actually drove ontop of the 28-year-old motorcyclist, who was pronounced dead at the scene. 

At a certain point, I have to ask, when will the Feds finally step in and stop the sale of Tesla's Autopilot and Full Self-Driving software? We've reported on a number of deaths linked to drivers using it, and there have been countless others killed in the car world, too. Including former Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao's sister whose Tesla backed into a pond where she drowned. 

I'm at the point where I, honestly, hate seeing Teslas near me whether I'm riding or driving. You just don't know what they're going to do. And it's clear to me that the software, as well as its suite of cameras, aren't up to the task. 

Tech Isn't Always Great

Automatic Emergency Braking Tech Still Can't Really Detect Motorcycles

Seatbelts for Motorcycles is a Dumb Idea, Here's Why