A 71-year-old man has been killed after being struck by a car operating in Full Self-Driving mode while crossing a freeway in California, United States.
According to the New York Post, the incident occurred around 2:35 am on Thursday on westbound Interstate 80 near the Interstate 780 interchange in Vallejo, according to the New York Post.
The vehicle was reportedly travelling at about 70 miles per hour when the man entered the freeway from the right shoulder and attempted to cross towards the central divider.
The 26-year-old driver, a resident of San Francisco, told the California Highway Patrol that the vehicle was operating in Full Self-Driving mode when it struck the pedestrian.
The highway patrol said a preliminary review of the vehicle’s dashboard camera footage showed that the car attempted to avoid the man before the collision.
“The video showed the [vehicle’s] brakes being applied as the vehicle steered to the left in an effort to avoid the pedestrian. Despite these evasive actions, the right front portion of the [vehicle] struck the individual,” the agency said.
The man was reportedly struck by at least one other vehicle while lying on the freeway following the initial collision.
However, the other motorists involved allegedly failed to stop at the scene, and their identities remain unknown.
The driver of the self-driving vehicle remained at the scene, cooperated with investigators and handed over the dashboard camera footage to the authorities.
The California Highway Patrol is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident and has urged witnesses and anyone with information about the other vehicles involved to come forward.
The fatal crash comes amid renewed concerns about the safety of driver-assistance technology following another incident on Interstate 80 earlier this month.
In that crash, a driver reportedly fell asleep while using Full Self-Driving mode before colliding with a highway patrol vehicle, leaving two officers injured.
Following the incidents, the California Highway Patrol warned motorists against relying on the technology as a substitute for attentive driving.
“Despite the name, FSD is not fully autonomous driving. Even when using the technology, the responsibility for safely operating the vehicle does not leave the driver,” the agency said.
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