William Varner and Everett Talbot died in a car crash in Texas while being driven in a Tesla. The crash is being blamed on Tesla’s Autopilot self-driving feature, but Tesla founder Elon Musk is denying the report. The men were in a Tesla Model S.
Tesla Autopilot Crash Details
William Varner Killed In Tesla Crash. “One of the two men killed after a Tesla crashed near Houston has been identified as Dr. William Varner, local media reported. The second victim has not yet been identified. Officials have suggested that there was no one in the driver’s seat, but Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, said the car was not on Autopilot.” [Insider]
Everett Talbot Killed In Tesla Crash. “Engineer Everett Talbot, 69, was killed. His friend, 59-year-old Dr. William Varner, also died in the crash that happened Saturday night on Hammock Dunes Place in the Carlton Woods Creekside subdivision just west of The Woodlands.” [ABC 13]
Varner Was Doctor Of Anesthesiology at Memorial Hermann Hospital. “Overnight, Memorial Hermann released a statement on the death of Dr. Varner: “Dr. Varner was a tremendous human being who personally impacted many throughout our Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center family over the years. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his entire family, and also to those who had the privilege of working and serving alongside him in various capacities. He will be dearly missed by so many.”” [Memorial Hermann]
Police Say “No One Was Driving” When Car Crashed. “Mark Herman, the Harris County Precinct 4 constable, said that physical evidence from the scene and interviews with witnesses led officials “to believe no one was driving the vehicle at the time of the crash.”” [NY Times]
Tesla Model S Went Off The Road. “The car, a 2019 Tesla Model S, apparently went off the road after being unable to navigate a curve and hit some trees. Herman said the crash is still under investigation and that the exact speed was not yet known. But he said evidence suggests the car was moving at a “high rate of speed.”” [CNN]
Witnesses: Crash Happened On Tesla Test Drive. “Authorities found the bodies of two men in the car, one in the front passenger seat and the owner of the car in the backseat. “We have witness statements from people that said they left to test drive the vehicle without a driver and to show the friend how it can drive itself,” Herman said.” [Reuters]
Elon Musk Claims Autopilot Was Not Enabled. “Data logs recovered so far show Autopilot was not enabled & this car did not purchase FSD. Moreover, standard Autopilot would require lane lines to turn on, which this street did not have.” [Elon Musk]
NHTSA, NTSB Investigating Crash. “Both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are now investigating, and no matter your opinion of the feds, the quick response here is adding to the buzz that the government might finally be preparing real regulatory action over semi-automated driving systems like Autopilot.” [The Drive]
Critics Say Tesla’s Autopilot Must Be Regulated. “Agency critics say regulations — especially of Tesla — are long overdue as the automated systems keep creeping toward being fully autonomous. At present, though, there are no specific regulations and no fully self-driving systems available for sale to consumers in the U.S.” [Marketwatch]
Tesla Autopilot Crash Photos
One of the first political bloggers in the world, Oliver Willis has operated OliverWillis.com since 2000. Contributor at Media Matters for America and The American Independent. Follow on Twitter at @owillis. Full bio.
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