Tesla Model X on Autopilot 'Collides' With Phoenix Police Motorcycle

Tyler Wooley
by Tyler Wooley

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]

Tyler Wooley
Tyler Wooley

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  • Vulpine Vulpine on Mar 28, 2017

    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.

    • See 2 previous
    • Vulpine Vulpine on Mar 29, 2017

      @SPPPP Agreed. My point is that it may not be fully the fault of the Autopilot but a missed override over another function. People are fallible, after all. The fact that this was such a low-speed incident suggests an overlooked software on-off switch more than a fault in Autopilot itself. A small difference, I know. But people tend to get tunnel vision and look in the wrong places when troubleshooting.

  • JimC2 JimC2 on Mar 28, 2017

    Does this self-driving "creep" mode apply to windowless candy vans or am do I have this confused with something else?

    • See 1 previous
    • JimC2 JimC2 on Mar 29, 2017

      @shaker "Autopervert" mode- it starts with tacky style and lighting add-ons from the local auto parts store and it goes downhill.

  • Ejwu Ejwu on Mar 28, 2017

    Well, Tesla will just say they analyzed the vehicle logs and it's the driver's fault. Whatever. No one can verify that.

  • JPWhite JPWhite on Mar 28, 2017

    STOP PRESS Car involved in collision.

    • See 1 previous
    • SCE to AUX SCE to AUX on Mar 29, 2017

      Yeah, but Autopilot/Tesla/Musk. And even the police aren't concerned.

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