Tesla's Autopilot system does NOT make driving safer and may even increase the risk of crashes

A new report has called into question the conclusion of an investigation launched by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2016 following a fatal Tesla crash. The NHTSA looked into the safety of Tesla's autonomous assistance features after a Model S operating with Autopilot struck a tractor trailer that year, killing the Tesla driver in the first deadly accident of its kind. Ultimately, the NHTSA determined that the system wasn't just safe, but actually slashed crash rates by nearly 40 percent. A new investigation using data obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit, however, shows that the reality is a lot more complicated. According to Quality Control Systems Corporation, which conducted the new analysis, the NHTSA misinterpreted the data it was provided; instead of reducing crashes, the findings suggest autosteer may have made accidents more common.