A fatal crash in Tampa, Florida, has claimed the life of an 87-year-old Tesla driver after his vehicle, operating on Autopilot, left the roadway and became submerged in a pond.
The incident occurred on May 26 at approximately 8:10 p.m. The Tesla Model Y struck an electrical box before entering the water. The driver was transported to a hospital, where he later died. A 75-year-old female passenger survived with non-life-threatening injuries.
The Florida Highway Patrol confirmed the vehicle was in Autopilot mode, though investigators have not yet detailed how that determination was made. The investigation is ongoing, and officials have not released the identities of those involved. It remains unclear whether speed, medical issues, or system behavior contributed to the crash.
This incident comes amid increased legal and regulatory scrutiny of Tesla's driver-assistance systems. A federal judge recently upheld a $243 million jury verdict against Tesla for a 2019 crash in Key Largo involving Autopilot.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had expanded its probe into Tesla's Full Self-Driving software, covering approximately 3.2 million vehicles, but closed the investigation in April after concluding incidents were primarily low-speed with minor damage.