Tesla on Autopilot drifts off road and hits tree, killing driver
Embedded Files
Occurred: June 2023
Page published: September 2025
Shawn Douglas Kroll, 29, died when his Tesla Model S, operating on Autopilot, drifted off Interstate 5 near Central Point, Oregon, struck a tree, and caught fire.
What happened
What happened
The Tesla, traveling northbound on I-5, drifted off the road "for an unknown reason," passed through a fence, hit a tree, and the collision caused the vehicle to catch fire.
Kroll was pronounced dead at the scene.
Why it happened
Why it happened
The precise cause for the Tesla's drifting off the road is unclear from the preliminary report.
What it means
What it means
The incident raises concerns regarding Autopilot system limitations and possible driver over-reliance or distraction, consistent with patterns in other Tesla Autopilot crashes.
Investigations often note Autopilot's incomplete ability to handle all driving scenarios and the need for constant driver vigilance.
Tesla Autopilot
Tesla Autopilot is an advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) developed by Tesla that amounts to partial vehicle automation (Level 2 automation, as defined by SAE International).
Source: Wikipedia 🔗
System 🤖
System 🤖
Developer: Tesla
Country: USA
Sector: Automotive
Purpose: Automate steering, acceleration, braking
Technology: Driver assistance system; Computer vision; Machine learning
Issue: Accuracy/reliability; Safety
Google Sites
Report abuse