TuSimple Blames Human Error for April Autonomous Truck Highway Crash
TuSimple's CEO explains that a sudden highway crash involving one of its autonomous trucks stems from a driver attempting to engage the system prematurely. Federal regulators are actively investigating the incident while the company overhauls its safety software.
TuSimple addresses a recent highway crash on its second-quarter earnings call, revealing that a test driver and safety engineer attempt to reengage autonomous mode before the system is ready. This error causes the truck to swerve suddenly across an Arizona highway and strike a concrete barricade. The company emphasizes that no injuries occur and points out that this incident is the only one in 8.1 million miles of road testing.
Following the April accident, TuSimple grounds its entire fleet and launches an independent investigation. An internal report shows that an outdated command, which is 2.5 minutes old, unexpectedly directs the vehicle to turn sharply at 65 miles per hour. Experts note that standard safety safeguards prevent vehicles from following stale commands or making such aggressive maneuvers at high speeds.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are currently investigating the crash. TuSimple's CEO states that regulators have not yet found anomalies or issued safety recommendations as the probe continues. Despite this ongoing scrutiny, the company maintains its plans to commercialize fully driver-out autonomous trucking operations.