Auto expert says Tesla autopilot in MSP crash shows you can't stop paying attention to road
FOX 2 - A Michigan State Trooper's cruiser was hit by a Tesla Y-model on autopilot mode, but the good news is, no one was hurt.
"Through the trooper's investigation on the scene, the driver stated that he had the autopilot engaged," said Lt. Brian Oleksyk, MSP.
Automotive news expert says Tesla’s autopilot setting still needs supervision
A Michigan State Trooper's cruiser was hit by a Tesla Y-model on autopilot mode, but the good news is, no one was hurt. It is the second time in recent weeks a Tesla has been involved in a suspected autopilot accident in Michigan.
It happened early Monday morning off I-96 just outside of Lansing where a trooper was responding to another driver that hit a deer. The driver cited for hitting the cruiser said it was on autopilot.
"No one was injured, there was just damage to patrol cars so there is no reason for us to do an in-depth investigation," said Oleksyk.
It is the second time in two weeks Tesla vehicles made headlines in Michigan. In Detroit - a driver, who told police he was not on autopilot and smashed into a semi.
The driver will be charged while his 21-year-old passenger Esmeralda Barco is still in critical condition.
Federal investigators will be in town this week working with Detroit police to determine for sure, if the car was in autopilot.
A Michigan State Police car was hit by a Tesla allegedly on autopilot near Lansing.
The feds are already keeping a close eye on Tesla following two fatal crashes in Florida in 2016 and 2018. Both drivers using autopilot.
"Autopilot to many people, sounds like 'Well, it is running itself,' and it really isn't, you have to pay attention," said Jeff Gilbert, automotive reporter.
Gilbert says there is no vehicle on the market that doesn't need a human to supervise, even though Tesla calls it "autopilot."
"Tesla likes to consider themselves a tech company, not a car company," Gilbert said. "So it has a different way of doing things. They march to a different drummer, they don't necessarily follow the same rules as all the other car companies.
The Tesla car was said to be on autopilot when it hit the MSP cruiser near Lansing.
Gilbert says it's still all uncharted territory.
"Remember these are new technologies and when the regulations were written this technology wasn't around," he said.
Tesla did not return our email request for comment.