Tesla in Autopilot sped up before crash - Police report | Life

25 May 2018

<i>Image: Twitter</i>

A new police report says a Tesla that crashed in Utah while in Autopilot mode accelerated just before it smashed into a stopped firetruck.

The incident report obtained by The Associated Press Thursday through a public records request also reveals that the driver told police she assumed the vehicle's automatic brakes would detect stopped traffic and stop.

Tesla under fire

Police speculated that a car in front of the Tesla changed lanes and the vehicle accelerated to regain speed without noticing the stopped cars ahead.

READ: Man dies after Tesla crashes into San Francisco area pond

Tesla didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Documents obtained by @AP show a Tesla that was in Autopilot accelerated seconds before it crashed into a stopped firetruck this month near Salt Lake City. https://t.co/qoHX8IfXTI
— AP West Region (@APWestRegion) May 25, 2018

The 29-year-old driver, Heather Lommatzsch, was charged with a misdemeanor traffic citation after police say vehicle data shows she didn't touch the steering wheel for 80 seconds before the crash.

A voicemail left for Lommatzsch wasn't immediately returned.

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