You will be provided with a reference and some statements. Please determine whether each statement is 'supported', 'unsupported', or 'unknown' with respect to the reference. Please note:
First, assess whether the reference contains any valid content. If the reference contains no valid information, such as a 'page not found' message, then all statements should be considered 'unknown'.
If the reference is valid, for a given statement: if the facts or data it contains can be found entirely or partially within the reference, it is considered 'supported' (data accepts rounding); if all facts and data in the statement cannot be found in the reference, it is considered 'unsupported'.

You should return the result in a JSON list format, where each item in the list contains the statement's index and the judgment result, for example:
[
    {
        "idx": 1,
        "result": "supported"
    },
    {
        "idx": 2,
        "result": "unsupported"
    }
]

Below are the reference and statements:
<reference>
NHTSA concludes Tesla Autopilot investigation after linking the system to 14 deaths

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has concluded a lengthy investigation into Tesla's Autopilot system. It found 13 fatal crashes due to misuse and software that doesn't prioritize driver attentiveness.

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NHTSA concludes Tesla Autopilot investigation after linking the system to 14 deaths

Latest
News
AI
Apps
Computing
Mobile
Social Media
EVs & Transportation
Reviews
Smartphones
Laptops & PCs
Gaming
Headphones
Wearables
Photography
Tablets
Home
Buying Guides
Laptops
Headphones
Smart Home
Gaming
Best Gaming Handhelds
Best E-Ink Tablets
Best Power Banks
Best Fast Chargers
Best Live TV Streaming
Best Wireless Earbuds
Gaming
Nintendo
PC
PlayStation
Xbox
Big Tech
Amazon
Apple
Google
Meta
Microsoft
Samsung
Entertainment
TV & Movies
Streaming
Cybersecurity
VPN
Wearables
Tomorrow
Science
Space
Robotics

Newsletter

News

EVs and Transportation

NHTSA concludes Tesla Autopilot investigation after linking the system to 14 deaths

The organization has opened a new inquiry into the efficacy of recent software fixes.

By

Lawrence Bonk

April 26, 2024 12:19 pm EST

Unsplash / Roberto Nickson

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
has concluded an investigation
into Tesla's Autopilot driver assistance system after reviewing hundreds of crashes, including 13 fatal incidents that led to 14 deaths. The organization has ruled that these accidents were due to driver misuse of the system.

However, the NHTSA also found that "Tesla's weak driver engagement system was not appropriate for Autopilot's permissive operating capabilities." In other words, the software didn't prioritize driver attentiveness. Riders using Autopilot or the company's Full Self-Driving technology "were not sufficiently engaged," because Tesla "did not adequately ensure that drivers maintained their attention on the driving task."

The organization investigated nearly 1,000 crashes from January of 2018 until August of 2023, accounting for 29 total deaths. The NHTSA found that there was "insufficient data to make an assessment" for around half (489) of these crashes. In some incidents, the other party was at fault or the Tesla drivers weren't using the Autopilot system.

The most serious were 211 crashes in which "the frontal plane of the Tesla struck a vehicle or obstacle in its path" and these were often linked to Autopilot or FSD. These incidents led to 14 deaths and 49 serious injuries. The agency found that drivers had enough time to react, but didn't, in 78 of these incidents. These drivers failed to brake or steer to avoid the hazard, despite having at least five seconds to make a move.

That's where complaints against the software come into play. The NHTSA says that drivers would simply become too complacent, assuming that the system would handle any hazards. When it came time to react, it was too late. "Crashes with no or late evasive action attempted by the driver were found across all Tesla hardware versions and crash circumstances," the organization wrote. The imbalance between driver expectation and the operating capabilities of Autopilot resulted in a "critical safety gap" that led to "foreseeable misuse and avoidable crashes."

The NHTSA also took umbrage with the branding of Autopilot, calling it misleading and suggesting that it lets drivers assume the software has total control. To that end, rival companies tend to use branding with words like "driver assist." Autopilot indicates, well, an autonomous pilot. California's attorney general and the state's Department of Motor Vehicles
are also investigating Tesla
for misleading branding and marketing.

Tesla, on the other hand, says that it warns customers that they need to pay attention while using Autopilot and FSD,
according to
The Verge
. The company says the software features regular indicators that remind drivers to keep their hands on the wheels and eyes on the road. The NHTSA and other safety groups have said that these warnings do not go far enough and were "insufficient to prevent misuse." Despite these statements by safety groups, CEO Elon Musk recently promised that the
company will continue to go
"balls to the wall for autonomy."

The findings could only represent a small fraction of the actual number of crashes and accidents related to Autopilot and FSD. The NHTSA indicated that "gaps in Tesla's telematic data create uncertainty regarding the actual rate at which vehicles operating with Autopilot engaged are involved in crashes." This means that Tesla only receives data from certain types of crashes, with the NHTSA claiming the company collects data on around 18 percent of crashes reported to police.

With all of this mind, the organization has
opened up another probe
into Tesla. This one looks into a recent OTA software fix issued in December after
two million vehicles were recalled
. The NHTSA will evaluate whether the Autopilot recall fix that Tesla implemented is effective enough.

Recommended
</reference>

<statements>
1. When manufacturers use brand names such as "Autopilot" or "Full Self-Driving," they generate consumer expectations that exceed the hardware's actual operational limits
2. Marketing campaigns and public executive statements overemphasize autonomous capabilities, fostering uncalibrated consumer trust
3. The investigation examined 956 crashes involving vehicles with Autopilot or Full Self-Driving engaged, identifying 29 fatal collisions and hundreds of injuries
</statements>

Begin the assessment now. Output only the JSON list, without any conversational text or explanations.