Surveillance Video and Eyewitness Accounts Shed Light on Bay Bridge Pileup
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) has unveiled surveillance footage capturing the chaos on the Bay Bridge during Thanksgiving caused by a Tesla Model S utilizing the controversial “Full Self-Driving” feature. Detailed videos from various angles on November 24, 2022, provide crucial insights into the incident that left commuters shocked and resulted in an eight-car pileup.
Following a California Public Records request by KTVU, the CHP released the videos originally obtained by The Intercept, offering a closer examination of the holiday rush hour calamity. The footage depicts the Tesla’s maneuvers leading up to the collision, prompting questions about the safety and reliability of autonomous driving technology.
The Tesla driver has attributed the incident to a purported malfunction in the autopilot system, sparking skepticism as the CHP officer could not verify the software’s status or the accuracy of the driver’s claims. According to the CHP report obtained by KTVU, the Tesla driver executed an unsafe lane change, abruptly slowing down and triggering a chain reaction of crashes, resulting in the eight-car pileup.
Eyewitness accounts, including that of Shayna Kelly and her son, described the harrowing experience of the sudden stop by the Tesla, leaving no escape route for surrounding vehicles. Reports indicate that most involved suffered minor injuries, highlighting the potential dangers of relying on autonomous driving features without proper oversight.
Jennifer Homendy, Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), has voiced concerns about Tesla’s marketing of the “Full Self-Driving” feature, emphasizing its limitations and urging the company to take greater responsibility to prevent misuse. This incident underscores the importance of ensuring that autonomous driving technologies are thoroughly tested and regulated to prioritize safety.
In the wake of the Bay Bridge incident, reports have emerged of multiple Tesla drivers complaining about “phantom braking,” causing sudden and unexplained stops at high speeds. The Washington Post revealed over 100 such complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in a three-month period, raising further alarms about the potential risks associated with autonomous driving systems.
As investigations into the Bay Bridge pileup continue, stakeholders are calling for increased transparency, accountability, and regulatory oversight to address the growing concerns surrounding the implementation of autonomous driving technologies on public roads.