Elon Musk stated that the Tesla vehicle involved in a fatal accident in Manhattan was not operating under Autopilot. According to Musk, the collision would have been avoided if the system had been active at the time of the incident.
The accident occurred around 3:00 AM on Wednesday, September 16. A 2024 Tesla Model Y struck construction scaffolding at 315 Madison Ave, then hit a bus stop pole and a mailbox on East 42nd Street before continuing for several blocks.
Two 27-year-old women were in the vehicle, one of whom died in the hospital. The driver faces charges of manslaughter, driving under the influence, and leaving the scene of an accident. The New York Police Department has not linked the crash to Tesla's Autopilot system.
