Tesla Model X on Autopilot 'Collides' With Phoenix Police Motorcycle
A Tesla Model X driving in semi-autonomous Autopilot mode rear-ended a police motorcycle last week, according to The Arizona Republic.
The incident happened on March 21, when both vehicles stopped at a traffic light after exiting a freeway in Phoenix. The Tesla stopped “briefly” before it began to move forward again. The officer managed to bail before the Tesla bumped the bike.
No damage was reported on either vehicle, since the officer estimated the Model X was only going three miles per hour.
“It was pretty much a tap,” Phoenix police spokesman Sgt. Alan Pfohl said, “It wasn’t even a reportable collision. If it wasn’t involving an officer, we would not have even investigated it.”
The accident occurred only days before a Volvo in Uber’s self driving pilot program was involved in a collision in the neighboring city of Tempe, Arizona. While there were no injuries reported in this incident, the same can’t be said about another Tesla autopilot crash that occurred last summer.
A police report has not yet been released and police haven’t released the names of the officer or Tesla driver. Following last year’s incidents, the automaker amplified its warnings to owners against leaving the driving duties entirely to Autopilot.
[Image: Tesla]
More by Tyler Wooley
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Some, here, forget that Tesla programmed in a setting for drivers to allow a slow-speed 'creep' after stopping for a traffic light. If that was turned on, it was the driver who did so as it is turned off by default at the factory.
Does this self-driving "creep" mode apply to windowless candy vans or am do I have this confused with something else?
Well, Tesla will just say they analyzed the vehicle logs and it's the driver's fault. Whatever. No one can verify that.
STOP PRESS Car involved in collision.