Fatal Tesla crash due to drunken speeding, not self-driving software, regulators say

Auto investigators ruled that drunk driving rather than Tesla's auto-driving feature was liable for a 2021 fatal crash, a determination that should at least temporarily ease the scrutiny on the company over the software.

The National Transportation Safety Board released a report on Wednesday detailing the context around an April 17, 2021, crash in Houston involving a Tesla car that fatally injured two. The collision drew attention after local investigators told reporters that they were "100% certain" that the driver's seat had been vacant at the time of the crash, leading some to focus on the car's auto-driving feature.

"Although the driver's seat was found vacant and the driver was found in the left rear seat, the available evidence suggests that the driver was seated in the driver's seat at the time of the crash and moved into the rear seat postcrash," the report noted.

The probable cause for the crash was the "driver's excessive speed and failure to control his car, due to impairment from alcohol intoxication in combination with the effects of two sedating antihistamines, resulting in a roadway departure, tree impact, and post-crash fire," the NTSB concluded. The agency previously noted that the Tesla autopilot feature had not been activated during the events of the crash.

Tesla has been heavily scrutinized for its handling of self-driving software. The Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating Tesla's business over overstated claims regarding the AutoPilot software's functionality. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been investigating Tesla since August 2021 over claims of crashes occurring due to the software. The regulator hopes to determine if the software played any significant role in the crash.

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