Washington — NHTSA Opens Probe Into Comma.ai After Fatal Crashes

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a formal investigation into comma.ai, the maker of aftermarket driver-assist hardware, after documenting five crashes tied to the company's devices, according to Ars Technica. Two of those crashes killed three people. Four of the five crashes injured 11 people, some seriously.

What did NHTSA find in the comma.ai investigation?

The agency's Office of Defects Investigation opened the probe, designated PE26007, this week, Ars Technica reported. Investigators say drivers using comma.ai devices crashed into stopped or slow-moving vehicles in multiple incidents. At least two crashes involved a comma.ai-controlled car striking a stopped vehicle; one of those crashes hit a first responder's vehicle and killed three people. A separate crash involved a car hitting a vehicle that was merging into traffic.

NHTSA says it is not sure comma.ai's systems can adequately detect a slow or stopped car in the path of travel.

How many crashes and deaths are involved?

Five crashes are under review. Two were fatal, killing three people combined. Four of the five crashes caused injuries, with 11 people hurt, some seriously, per Ars Technica's reporting of NHTSA's findings.

What is comma.ai and openpilot?

Comma.ai was founded by George Hotz, known for jailbreaking iOS and hacking Sony PlayStations before turning to driver-assist technology in 2015, according to Ars Technica. After NHTSA began asking questions about Comma's plug-in devices in 2016, the company published its openpilot software and hardware plans on GitHub, letting anyone build the devices themselves. By 2020, Comma's $999 device and software earned higher marks from Consumer Reports than any automaker's own system, per the outlet. The current Comma Four device adds lane centering, adaptive cruise control and a cloud-based dash cam to more than 325 models across 27 brands.

Data box

• More than 30,000 drivers use openpilot, with over 402 million miles (650 million km) driven, per Ars Technica.
• Five crashes are under NHTSA review; two were fatal, killing three people; 11 people were injured across four crashes.

What software was running during the crashes?

NHTSA is examining which version of the software was active during each crash. At least two of the five crashes involved forks of Comma's main build rather than the standard openpilot release, Ars Technica reported. The fatal crash was running a modified version called FrogPilot, according to the outlet.

What happens next in the investigation?

PE26007 is a preliminary evaluation, the first stage of NHTSA's defect-investigation process. Outcomes from that stage can include closing the inquiry, escalating to a full engineering analysis, or prompting a recall.

What to watch

• Whether NHTSA requests crash data logs from comma.ai covering all five incidents.
• Whether the agency distinguishes liability between Comma's official openpilot build and third-party forks like FrogPilot.
• Whether the probe expands to cover other aftermarket driver-assist makers beyond comma.ai.
• Any public response from comma.ai or George Hotz addressing the crashes named in the filing.

Ars Technica's full report, including NHTSA's investigation notice, is available at the originating story.