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Was Rented Tesla Involved in SF Crash on AutoPilot?

The Telsa Model 3, rented through the peer-to-peer platform Getaround, killed a pedestrian and seriously injured another after driving though a red light.

July 24, 2019
Was Rented Tesla Involved in SF Crash on AutoPilot?

As part of the investigation, police are pulling the chip from the Tesla to see if the car was in autopilot when it ran the red light.

Photo via Blomst/Pixabay.

1 min to read


Police in San Francisco are investigating whether a woman who was behind the wheel of a Tesla Model 3 when it ran a red light and killed a tourist had the vehicle in autopilot mode, KTLA reports.

The 22-year-old woman who was behind the wheel had rented the vehicle from peer-to-peer carsharing service Getaround. She has since been arrested and booked on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and running a red light. Getaround's eligibility guidelines state that drivers must be 25 years old to rent a "specialty car;" Teslas are classified as speciality cars. 

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After running the red light, police say the Tesla was broadsided by another car. The Tesla also struck a couple walking in the crosswalk, killing one man and critically injuring his wife. 

As part of the investigation, police are pulling the chip from the Tesla to see if the car was in autopilot when it ran the red light.

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