Comma.ai Faces Federal Scrutiny After Fatal Crashes Involving Open-Source Driver Assistance Software
Comma.ai is under federal investigation after two serious crashes involving its open-source driver assistance software. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating at least two incidents, including a fatal crash in Louisiana and an injury crash in Missouri.
The fatal crash occurred in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, involving a Toyota RAV4. A separate injury crash took place in Cameron, Missouri, involving a Honda Accord that was traveling at roughly 82 mph before impact. Both incidents fell under NHTSA's Standing General Order, which requires companies offering Level 2 ADAS systems to disclose certain crashes to the federal agency.
Comma.ai sells aftermarket hardware that pairs with its openpilot software to add semi-autonomous driving features to a wide range of compatible vehicles. The company was founded by hacker George Hotz and has positioned its offerings primarily for research and developmental purposes, emphasizing the experimental nature of its software and that users must assume full responsibility.
Comma.ai has told regulators that the device involved in the fatal Louisiana crash was running third-party or forked software, which limits its ability to conduct a thorough investigation into what went wrong. The company has confirmed that it maintained and provided data requested by NHTSA. This isn't Comma.ai's first brush with federal safety authorities; in 2016, the company canceled its Comma One product after NHTSA raised safety concerns.