US agency probing 23 Tesla crashes

The US auto safety agency disclosed on Thursday it has opened 27 investigations into crashes of Tesla vehicles, 23 of which remain active, and at least three of the crashes occurred in recent weeks. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) confirmed Thursday that it will send a team to investigate a recent Tesla crash in the Houston area. Four of the 27 NHTSA investigations have been completed and the results published.

Earlier this week, NHTSA said it was sending its special crash investigation team to probe two crashes in Michigan, including a crash early Wednesday involving a Tesla suspected of being in Autopilot mode when it struck a parked Michigan State Police patrol car.

Michigan State Police said a parked patrol car was struck by a Tesla apparently in autopilot mode while investigating a traffic crash near Lansing on Interstate-96. No one was injured and the 22-year-old Tesla driver was issued traffic citations.


On Monday, NHTSA said it was sending another team to investigate a “violent” March 11 crash in Detroit in which a Tesla became wedged underneath a tractor-trailer and left a passenger in critical condition. Reuters