Two men were killed in a Tesla crash in Texas on Saturday. It is believed that the self-driving function was turned on and there was no one in the driver’s seat, authorities reported on Sunday.
According to the police, the 2019 Tesla Model S flew out of the corner at great speed, then crashed into a tree and then caught fire.
The initial investigation revealed that the two occupants were seated in the front passenger seat and the rear seat. It is still being investigated whether the autopilot, as the self-driving function is also called, was switched on.
The accident comes at an unfortunate time for the company, which plans to make its fully self-driving car software available to more customers soon. Tesla promotes the technology as a safer way of driving.
There have been several Tesla crashes in the United States lately. There are currently 27 investigations into the car brand in the country. The American company of multi-billionaire Elon Musk could not be reached for comment on Sunday.
The Tesla CEO said in January that he is confident that the autopilot will drive more reliably than a human driver within a few years. The company emphasizes that the driver still needs to have his hands on the wheel to take control if necessary.