Just after the NHTSA opened a probe into a Tesla Model X crash in Pennsylvania, another Model X incident is being blamed on Autopilot, this time in Montana.
Over the weekend, a silver Model X crashed through a guardrail before careening off road and coming to a stop. The crash resulted in extensive damage to the front passenger side that included one wheel being torn from the electric SUV.
According to a friend of the driver, TeslaMotorsClub member Eresan, the Autopilot system was active at the time of the crash between 56 and 60 mph (90-96 km/h) and without warning, veered off road and through the wooden guardrail.
In a posting on the Tesla Motors Club forum, Eresan reiterated the driver’s series of events and questioned how the Autopilot system managed to steer its way off road without any driver intervention.
“Both 2 people on car survived,” he said. “It was late at night, Autopilot did not detect a wood stake on the road, hit more than 20 wood stakes, tire on front passenger side and lights flyed away. The speed limit is 55, he was driving 60 on autopilot. His car is completely destroyed. The place he had accident does not have cellphone signal, it is 100 miles from the hotel. We are on a 50 people Wechat messenger group. I woke up today saw he managed to get internet to ask people in the Wechat group to call tesla for assistant.”
“The car was in Autopilot at speed between 56-60 mph, the car drove off the road and hit the guard rail wood posts. I questioned him on how can Autopilot drove off the road by itself, he said he also want to find out,” he added.
Tesla has yet to comment on the incident but is likely to release a statement in the near future. It’s probable that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will also launch an investigation into the crash.
Photos TeslaMotorsClub member Eresan
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