U.S. investigators suspect that a Tesla was operating on an automated driving system when it crashed into a firetruck in California last month, killing the driver and critically injuring a passenger.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Wednesday it has dispatched a special crash investigation team to look into the Feb. 18 crash in Northern California where emergency responders had to cut open the Tesla to remove the passenger. Four Contra Costa County firefighters had minor injuries.
The probe is part of a larger investigation by the agency into multiple instances of Teslas on Autopilot crashing into parked emergency vehicles that are tending to other crashes.
The $1.4 million ladder truck was damaged in the crash on Interstate 680. The truck was parked to shield a crew clearing another accident, fire officials said.
The driver of the the 2014 Tesla Model S was declared dead at the scene.
NHTSA is investigating how Tesla’s Autopilot system detects and responds to emergency vehicles parked on highways. At least 15 Teslas have crashed into emergency vehicles nationwide while using the system.
Authorities said the truck had its lights on and was parked diagonally on northbound lanes of the freeway to protect responders to an earlier accident that did not result in injuries.
The fatal accident occurred around 4 a.m., and it took several hours to clear the freeway. The firetruck had to be towed away.
The Model S was among the nearly 363,000 vehicles Tesla recalled in February because of potential flaws in “Full Self-Driving” a more sophisticated partially automated driving system.
The recall, to be done with an online software update, is aimed at correcting possible problems at intersections and with speed limits.
Despite their names, Tesla has said both systems are advanced driver assist systems and that human drivers must be ready to intervene at all times.
Messages were left Wednesday seeking comment from Tesla, which has disbanded its public relations department.
Nestlé has dismissed its CEO Laurent Freixe after an investigation into an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate. The company announced on Monday that the dismissal was effective immediately. An investigation found that Freixe violated Nestlé’s code of conduct. He had been CEO for a year. Philipp Navratil, a longtime Nestlé executive, will replace him. Chairman Paul Bulcke stated that the decision was necessary to uphold the company’s values and governance. Navratil began his career with Nestlé in 2001 and has held various roles, including CEO of Nestlé's Nespresso division since 2024.
Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after they joined in a massive merger that created one of the biggest food companies on the planet. One of the companies will include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include brands like Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. When the company formed in 2015 it wanted to capitalize on its massive scale, but shifting tastes complicated those plans, with households seeking to introduce healthier options at the table. Kraft Heinz's net revenue has fallen every year since 2020.
