A Tesla driver, who was killed in a California crash, previously posted videos of himself riding in Autopilot mode in freeway traffic, say reports
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The driver of a Tesla Model 3 car, who was killed in a crash on a California highway, posted social media videos of himself riding without his hands on the wheel or foot on the pedal, AP reported.
The May 5 incident involved a 35-year-old man identified as Steven Michael Hendrickson, who died when his Tesla ran into an overturned truck on the freeway.
The truck driver and motorist who had pulled over to help were both injured at the scene.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) began investigating the crash as Insider’s Kate Duffy reported on Thursday.
The California Highway Patrol, which is also investigating, initially said it had determined that Autopilot “was engaged” prior to the crash, but appeared to walk back that claim on Friday.
In a new statement, it said: “To clarify, there has not been a final determination made as to what driving mode the Tesla was in or if it was a contributing factor to the crash.”
Autopilot is the company’s standard driver-assistance system, which uses cameras and sensors to keep a vehicle in the correct position on the road.
The NHTSA told Reuters it previously had 28 probes into Tesla crashes, with 24 still under investigation.
According to AP, Hendrikson was a member of the southern California chapter of a Tesla club. He posted a number of photos and videos on social media of his white Model 3.
The video of him without his hands on the wheel appeared to be filmed as his Tesla navigated its way through highway traffic. It featured a comment, saying: “Best carpool buddy possible even takes the boring traffic for me.”
Tesla’s Autopilot is the company’s standard driver-assistance system that enables cars to stay in their lane and keep up with highway traffic using cameras and sensors.
At least three Tesla drivers have died while the car was operating under the Autopilot system, as Insider previously reported.
Tesla did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.