Tesla autopilot crash: Fatal collision was tragic but self-driving technology should still continue, say experts

Experts have come out in defence of automated driving technology after a driver was killed while using his Tesla's autopilot feature. Specialists in the fields of artificial intelligence, engineering, and transport have said that while the death was tragic, it should not prevent the software from being developed. Joshua Brown, 40, died when his Tesla Model S went underneath the trailer of a lorry that had turned left in front of him on a Florida road in May, prompting an urgent investigation by Tesla itself and the US authorities. In a statement on its blog, Tesla explained that the technology is still under development and that as an assist feature drivers "need to maintain control and responsibility for [their] vehicle' while using it." The company went on to say that the autopilot mode does still result "in a statistically significant improvement in safety."