The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched a probe into Comma.ai following five reported crashes involving its driver-assist systems. Investigators are examining whether the technology can reliably detect stationary or slow-moving vehicles in its path.
At least two of these incidents involved collisions with stopped vehicles, including a fatal crash that resulted in three deaths. Another incident occurred when a vehicle equipped with the system struck a merging car. The agency is now reviewing the specific software versions active during these events.
The investigation highlights that some crashes involved modified versions of the openpilot software, such as the FrogPilot build used during the fatal accident. Comma.ai, founded by George Hotz in 2015, initially aimed to supply driver-assist technology to Tesla before shifting to an open-source model.
Currently, the company’s Comma Four device provides lane centering, adaptive cruise control, and cloud-based dash cam features. The system is compatible with over 325 vehicle models from 27 brands. More than 30,000 drivers have used the software, covering over 402 million miles.
