‘It Happened Too Fast’: Inside a Fatal Tesla Autopilot Crash


George Brian McGee, a finance executive in Florida, was driving home in a Tesla Model S. Works at AutopilotA system that can steer, brake and accelerate a car on its own when you drop your phone during a call and bend over to make a call.

Neither he nor Autopilot noticed the end of the road, and the Model S drove past a stop sign and flashing red light. The car crashed into a parked Chevrolet Tahoe, killing 22-year-old college student Naibel Benavides.

One of a growing number of fatal cases Accidents involving Tesla cars running on autopilotMcGee’s situation is unusual because he survived and told investigators what had happened: He was distracted and relied on a system that did not see and brake a parked car in front of him. Tesla drivers who used autopilot in other fatal crashes were often killed, allowing researchers to piece together details from stored data and videos recorded by the cars.

“I dropped my phone while driving,” Mr. McGee told an officer involved in the accident, according to a recording from the police body camera. “I looked down and ran the stop sign and crashed into the guy’s car.”

Mr. McGee’s statements to investigators, the accident report, and the court filings paint a tragic picture of over-reliance on technology. They also strongly recommend that Autopilot has failed a basic function (automatic emergency braking) that engineers had developed years ago. Many new cars, including models that are much more affordable and less complex than Teslas, can slow down or stop themselves when an accident seems likely.

On Monday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it has launched a formal investigation into Autopilot. The agency said it was aware of 11 accidents since 2018 in which Teslas hit police, firefighters and other emergency vehicles with flashing lights parked on roads and highways. In one of them, in December 2019, a Tesla crashed into a fire truck in Indiana, killing a passenger in the car and seriously injuring the driver.

distracted driving it can be deadly in any car. But safety experts say Autopilot can encourage distraction by making people think their cars are more capable than they are. The system does not include safety measures to ensure drivers pay attention to the road and regain control if something goes wrong.

McGee, who declined to comment through his lawyer, told investigators that he had booked a flight with American Airlines over the phone for a funeral. Called the airline at 21:05 on April 25, 2019. According to a Florida Highway Patrol investigation, the search lasted just over five minutes and ended two seconds after the Model S crashed into the Tahoe. Florida law It makes it illegal to text while driving, but the state does not prohibit drivers from talking on a hand-held cell phone outside of school or work areas.

After driving nearly 100 miles from his office in Boca Raton, close to his home in Key Largo, Mr. McGee called 911 and then spoke to the police officers involved in the accident. In both recorded conversations, her voice sounds shaky, but she speaks clearly. He said he looked up, saw that it was about to crash into Tahoe, and tried to stop the car.

At one point he referred to Autopilot as “stupid cruise control” and told officers, “When I turned it on and looked and saw a black truck – it was very fast.”

Tesla, the world’s most valuable automaker, and its CEO, Elon Musk, describe Autopilot as a way to make driving easier and safer.

Despite its name, Autopilot does not make Teslas autonomous. The auto industry classifies this and similar systems offered by General Motors and other companies as Level 2 self-driving. Autonomous cars will always be Tier 5. no vehicle on sale today is close to getting it.

Critics of Tesla claim that Autopilot has several weaknesses, including the ability for drivers like Mr. McGee to use it on local roads. With the help of GPS and software, GM, Ford Motor and other automakers are limiting their systems to divided highways with no stop signs, traffic lights or pedestrians.

Tesla user guides warn customers not to use Autopilot on city streets. “Failure to follow these instructions may result in damage, serious injury, or death,” says the manual for 2019 models.

“The technology exists to limit where Autopilot can run, but Tesla allows drivers to use it on roads where it shouldn’t work,” said Jason K. Levine, executive director of the Center for Automobile Safety, a nonprofit group in Washington. “They made a corporate decision to do this, and it resulted in preventable tragedies. That must be frustrating.”

Mr Musk and Tesla’s assistant general counsel Ryan McCarthy did not respond to emails seeking comment.

Regulators are investigating other possible Autopilot flaws. The system, which includes cameras, radar and software, sometimes cannot recognize other vehicles and stationary objects. In July, a Tesla crashed into a sports utility vehicle parked at the site of a previous accident on a highway near San Diego. Police said the driver started Autopilot, fell asleep and later failed a sobriety test. This year, California couple suing Tesla In connection with the 2019 crash that killed their 15-year-old son.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating more than two dozen accidents that have occurred while Autopilot was in use. The agency said it was aware that at least 10 people had died in these accidents.

Mr. McGee, 44, is the managing partner of New Water Capital, a small private equity firm. In 2019, he bought the Model S, a performance model.

It left Boca Raton on the night of the accident and headed south via major highways. He took US Route 1 south of Miami, took a narrow toll bridge from the mainland to Key Largo, and continued on the two-lane Card Sound Road, ending at County Road 905. McGee’s Autopilot was on, and the speed was set at 44 miles per hour, according to the data Police had from the vehicle.

At the same time, Ms. Benavides was dating Dillon Angulo. He was riding his mother’s black Tahoe and pulled over the broad shoulder of County Road 905 near Card Sound Road. Mr. Angulo stopped about 44 meters from the intersection, parked on a lane of gravel and got out. Ms Benavides got out of the passenger seat and walked towards the driver’s side, according to the investigation.

Data from Tesla shows the Model S sprinting from 44 to 60 mph just seconds before hitting the Tahoe. It is unclear whether the autopilot or Mr. McGee increased the speed. Vehicle data and skid marks indicate that Mr. McGee braked a second before the crash. When she started calling her phone, she told police she couldn’t tell how close she was to the intersection.

Benavides’ estate sued Tesla in circuit court for Miami-Dade County, alleging that the company’s cars were “defective and unsafe.” Todd Poses, the Miami attorney representing the property, said Mr McGee is expected to testify in this case. Mr Poses said a separate lawsuit against Mr McGee was settled but would not disclose the circumstances.

In court, Tesla gave a brief response, denying the property’s claims without detailing. In similar cases, the company said any blame lies solely with the drivers of their vehicles.

As with other accidents involving Autopilot, the system didn’t seem to do much to get Mr. McGee to pay attention to the road.

Tesla has recently enabled a dash camera on some new models to monitor drivers, but it can’t see in the dark. Tesla owners have videos posted on youtube It shows that the camera sometimes doesn’t notice when drivers are away from the road and can be deceived if they close the lens. When the camera detects a Tesla driver looking away from the road, it sounds a warning but does not turn off Autopilot.

GM and Ford systems use infrared cameras to monitor drivers’ eyes. If drivers look away for more than two or three seconds, warnings remind them to look straight ahead. If drivers do not comply, the GM and Ford systems will shut down and tell drivers to take control of the vehicle.

Ms. Benavides immigrated from Cuba in 2016 and lived with her mother in Miami. While attending community college, she worked at a Walgreens pharmacy and a clothing store. His older sister, Neima, 34, who runs the property, said Naibel was working on improving her English in hopes of earning a college degree.

“He was always laughing and making people laugh,” said Neima Benavides. “His favorite thing was to go to the beach. He hung out with friends almost every day or just sat and read.”

Neima Benavides said she hopes the lawsuit will encourage Tesla to make Autopilot safer. “Maybe something can change so other people don’t have to go through it.”

Ms. Benavides had just started dating Mr. Angulo when they went fishing in Key Largo. He sent a text message to his sister that afternoon saying he was having a good time. At 9 pm, Ms. Benavides called her mother on Mr. Angulo’s phone to say she was on her way home. He lost his phone that day.

While calling 911, Mr. McGee reported that a man was unconscious on the floor and blood was coming from his mouth. Mr. McGee said “Oh my God” several times and said “Help!” yell. When an emergency operator asked if the man was the only injured person, Mr. McGee replied, “Yes, he is the only passenger.”

Mr. Angulo was airlifted to a hospital. He later told investigators that he did not remember the accident or why they stopped at the intersection.

An emergency medical technician spotted a women’s sandal under the Tahoe and urged others to begin searching the area for another victim. In the police video, Mr. McGee can be heard saying “Please say no to me”. “Please say no to me.”

Miss Benavides’ body was found about 25 meters away.



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