The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released new crash statistics on self-driving cars this week. According to the data, Elon Musk’s Teslas were involved in at least ten deadly accidents between mid-May and mid-September.
The fatalities included four crashes involving Teslas and motorcycles. The datasheet, however, does not indicate whether the driver-assist systems of the Teslas were on during the accidents or if the vehicles were piloted by their human drivers.
Self-driving vehicles have been controversial in terms of safety and liability issues since their introduction to the marketplace.
The new figures suggest a sharp increase in deadly incidents involving self-driving cars. Data collected from July of last year through May 15, released by the agency in June, involved only six lethal crashes, with a further five accidents that resulted in serious injuries. Five of the deaths occurred in Teslas and one in a Ford, with the driver-assist systems in use at the time of all the crashes listed.
