The pedestrian was struck on Interstate 80 in Vallejo, with investigators reviewing dashcam footage and searching for other drivers involved in the collision.
A 71-year-old man has been killed after being struck by a Tesla operating in Full Self-Driving mode on a California freeway, prompting renewed scrutiny of driver-assistance technology.
The crash occurred at about 2:35am on Thursday, October 22, on westbound Interstate 80 near the Interstate 780 interchange in Vallejo, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The victim was identified as Domingo Gonzales, a 71-year-old Vallejo resident, by the Solano County Coroner’s Office.
The Tesla’s driver, a 26-year-old man from San Francisco, told officers the vehicle was operating in Full Self-Driving mode when it struck Gonzales. He remained at the scene, cooperated with investigators and provided footage recorded by the car’s dashboard camera.
According to the CHP’s preliminary review, the Tesla was travelling at approximately 70 miles per hour when Gonzales entered the freeway from the right shoulder and began crossing towards the central divider.
The footage reportedly showed the vehicle applying its brakes and steering left in an attempt to avoid him. However, the car’s front-right portion struck the pedestrian, the agency said.
Investigators believe Gonzales was struck by at least one other vehicle while lying in the traffic lanes after the initial collision. Those motorists did not remain at the scene, and authorities have not identified them. The CHP has appealed for witnesses and anyone with information about the additional vehicles to come forward.
The investigation has yet to establish why Gonzales was crossing the freeway or whether Tesla’s driver-assistance system contributed to the fatal collision.
Tesla Full Self-Driving system under scrutiny
The death comes days after another Tesla crash on Interstate 80 in Solano County, where a 22-year-old driver from Sacramento reportedly told investigators he had fallen asleep while the vehicle’s Full Self-Driving feature was engaged.
That incident occurred near Fairfield shortly before midnight on October 13, when the Tesla struck a California Highway Patrol cruiser at a scene where officers were investigating a separate fatal crash. Two officers were seriously injured. The patrol vehicle was among emergency vehicles at the scene, with lanes closed and warning flares and cones in place.
The two incidents are separate investigations, and neither alone establishes whether Tesla’s technology caused a crash. However, both have drawn attention to the responsibilities of drivers using automated driving assistance.
Despite its name, Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system does not make a vehicle fully autonomous. Drivers must remain attentive, monitor the road and be ready to take control. The CHP has stressed that using the technology does not remove a driver’s responsibility to operate a vehicle safely.
Investigation into fatal Tesla crash continues
The Vallejo collision raises questions about how driver-assistance systems respond when pedestrians enter high-speed roads, but investigators have not released a final determination on the role the technology played.
The CHP is continuing its investigation and is seeking information about the other vehicles believed to have struck Gonzales. The agency has expressed condolences to his family and friends.
The findings of the investigation will be important in determining the circumstances of the death, including the sequence of impacts and whether any driver or vehicle system contributed to the outcome.
