A Tesla in full self-driving mode slammed into a California Highway Patrol cruiser that was already responding to a fatal crash last week. The electric car was running Tesla’s advanced driver assist feature Full Self-Driving when it smashed into the cop car, forcing officers on the scene to jump out of the way of the car as it careered off course.
The crash occurred Thursday when a blue Tesla was driving in Orange County, California, reports the LA Times. Despite warning lights flashing and markings on the road clearly showing police responding to a crash, the Tesla plowed into the scene of the earlier accident:
A Fullerton Police Department officer was investigating a fatal crash around 12:04 a.m. near Orangethorpe and Courtney Avenues, according to a department news release. The officer was managing traffic at the time and emergency flares had been placed on the road.
The officer was standing outside his patrol vehicle, with its emergency lights on, and managed to jump out of the way before the driver of a blue Tesla crashed into his car, authorities said. A police dispatcher, who was riding in the patrol vehicle, also moved out of the way of the crash.
No injuries were reported as a result of the collision, with the Tesla driver remaining on the scene to assist police. While there, the driver admitted that their car was running Full Self-Driving at the time of the crash, reports ABC News.
According to police, the Tesla driver “admitted to engaging his vehicle’s ‘self-drive’ mode while using his cell phone.” Tesla requires anyone using FSD to retain attention on the task of driving and encourages drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and be prepared to take back control of the car as necessary. What’s more, using a phone while at the wheel is “a clear violation of responsible driving practices and California law,” said police in a news release shared with ABC News.
This is far from being the first time a Tesla operating in FSD has collided with a first responder on America’s roads. Last year, a Model X equipped with the tech hit a police cruiser after it alerted its river to the impact more than 100 times, and another Tesla driver hit a cop car while watching a movie at the wheel.
While the Tesla driver and first responders walked away from the crash unscathed, the people caught up in the initial crash that officers were investigating were less fortunate.
