Washington DC - Tesla has been removed from the investigation into a fatal crash involving one of its autopiloted cars
.
The company was barred from the investigation on Thursday after it released
information before it had been checked by the National Transportation
Safety Board.
Board chairman Robert Sumwalt said: "It is unfortunate that Tesla, by its actions, did not abide by the
party agreement. While we understand the demand for information that parties face
during an NTSB investigation, uncoordinated releases of incomplete
information do not further transportation safety or serve the public
interest."
On 23 March a Model X SUV hit the median strip of a road in the
Californian city of Mountain View and flipped before being hit by
oncoming vehicles. The male driver later succumbed to his injuries in
hospital.
Blame game
Two NTSB investigators were sent to examine the crash scene. A week after the crash, Tesla announced the driver of the Model X had
turned on the autopilot, apparently laying the blame on him when the
investigation had only just begun.
Earlier on Thursday Tesla said it had withdrawn from the
investigation - but Sumwalt's statement contradicted that.
"We decided to revoke Tesla's party status," he said, "and informed CEO Elon Musk in a phone call on Wednesday evening and via letter on Thursday."
The board confirmed, however, that Tesla was still part of two other ongoing investigations of vehicle
crashes in California.