Tesla Motors
says it's unlikely that its semi-autonomous Autopilot system was engaged when a
Model S crashed in Indianapolis, killing the driver and a passenger.
In a statement
issued late Thursday, the electric car maker said it's cooperating with
Indianapolis police, who are investigating the Thursday crash.
Tesla said the
car sustained so much damage that it didn't transmit data to the company's
servers. That data would show if the driver had the car in Autopilot mode.
But the
company said the system likely wasn't engaged, because Autopilot would have
limited the vehicle's speed to less than 35 miles per hour on the street where
the accident occurred. Witness statements and the damage to the car suggest the
car was going faster than that, Tesla said.
"We are
deeply saddened to hear that this accident involved fatalities," the Palo
Alto, California-based company said.
Witnesses
reported the car was travelling at a high rate of speed about 1 a.m. Thursday
when it hit a tree, crashed into a building and caught fire, leaving a trail of
burning battery components.
Authorities
said the near north side crash killed 27-year-old driver Casey Speckman and
44-year-old passenger Kevin McCarthy.
Police
spokesman Maj. Richard Riddle said earlier Thursday that investigators were
looking at whether Autopilot played a role in the accident. The system, which
was introduced last year, can automatically drive the car at a set speed and
keep it within its lane. Drivers need to touch the wheel at certain intervals
or the system will turn off.
Fox news
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