(Reuters) - The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is opening a field investigation of a fatal Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) crash and major vehicle fire near Mountain View, California, last week, the agency said in a statement on Tuesday.

It was unclear if the car was being driven by its automated control system at the time of the accident, which killed the Tesla driver and involved two other cars, the NTSB said in a Twitter post. Tesla vehicles have a system called Autopilot that handles some driving tasks at times.

The California Highway Patrol said the electric-powered Tesla Model X crashed into a freeway divider on Friday and then was hit by a Mazda before colliding with an Audi. The Tesla’s lithium batteries caught fire and emergency officials consulted Tesla engineers advice before determining it was safe to move the vehicle and how to extinguish the battery fire. NTSB said the issues being examined include the post-crash fire and removing it from the scene.

In January, the NTSB and U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sent investigators to California to investigate the crash of a fire truck and a Tesla that apparently was traveling in semi-autonomous mode.

The NTSB can make safety recommendations but only NHTSA can order automakers to recall unsafe vehicles or fine automakers if they fail to remedy safety defects in a timely fashion. Before the agency could demand a recall from Tesla, it must open a formal investigation, a step it has not yet taken.

Tesla’s Autopilot allows drivers under certain conditions to take their hands off the wheel for extended periods. Tesla requires users to agree to keep their hands on the wheel “at all times” before they can use Autopilot.

In September, NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said operational limitations in the Tesla Model S played a major role in a May 2016 crash in Florida that killed a driver using Autopilot. That crash raised questions about the safety of systems that can perform driving tasks for long stretches with little or no human intervention but cannot completely replace human drivers.

Tesla in September 2016 unveiled improvements to Autopilot, adding new limits on hands-off driving.</s>March 27 (Reuters) - The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is opening a field investigation into a fatal Tesla Inc crash and major vehicle fire near Mountain View, California, on March 23, the agency said in a statement on Tuesday.

In a Twitter post, the agency said it is “unclear if automated control system was active at time of crash.”

Tesla did not immediately comment. California Highway Patrol said a driver was killed when a Tesla vehicle crashed into a Mfreeway divider causing a fire and shutting down two lanes of the freeway. (Reporting by David Shepardson Editing by Susan Thomas)</s>(Reuters) - The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is opening a field investigation of a fatal Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) crash and major vehicle fire near Mountain View, California, last week, the agency said in a statement on Tuesday.

It was unclear if the car was being driven by its automated control system at the time of the accident, which killed the Tesla driver and involved two other cars, the NTSB said in a Twitter post. Tesla vehicles have a system called Autopilot that handles some driving tasks at times.

The California Highway Patrol said the electric-powered Tesla Model X crashed into a freeway divider on Friday and then was hit by a Mazda before colliding with an Audi. The Tesla’s lithium batteries caught fire and emergency officials consulted Tesla engineers advice before determining it was safe to move the vehicle and how to extinguish the battery fire. NTSB said the issues being examined include the post-crash fire and removing it from the scene.

In January, the NTSB and U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sent investigators to California to investigate the crash of a fire truck and a Tesla that apparently was traveling in semi-autonomous mode.

The NTSB can make safety recommendations but only NHTSA can order automakers to recall unsafe vehicles or fine automakers if they fail to remedy safety defects in a timely fashion. Before the agency could demand a recall from Tesla, it must open a formal investigation, a step it has not yet taken.

Tesla’s Autopilot allows drivers under certain conditions to take their hands off the wheel for extended periods. Tesla requires users to agree to keep their hands on the wheel “at all times” before they can use Autopilot.

In September, NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said operational limitations in the Tesla Model S played a major role in a May 2016 crash in Florida that killed a driver using Autopilot. That crash raised questions about the safety of systems that can perform driving tasks for long stretches with little or no human intervention but cannot completely replace human drivers.

Tesla in September 2016 unveiled improvements to Autopilot, adding new limits on hands-off driving.</s>A dummy is seen in a Tesla car after a crash test at the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety on February 28, 2017 in Ruckersville, Virginia. Photo: Anne LEBRETON / AFP

SAN FRANCISCO – Federal investigators said Tuesday they were examining a fatal crash last week involving a Tesla electric automobile in California.

The California Highway Patrol reported that a 38-year-old man died Friday after his 2017 Tesla Model X collided with a highway barrier near the town of Mountain View, according to The San Jose Mercury News.

The vehicle caught fire before two other approaching cars hit it.

The National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday two investigators had begun a field investigation.

"Unclear if automated control system was active at the time of the crash," the agency said on Twitter.

"Issues examined include: post-crash fire, steps to make vehicle safe for removal from scene."

Tesla said Tuesday it was cooperating with the investigation.

"We have been deeply saddened by this accident and we have offered our full cooperation to the authorities as we work to establish the facts of the accident," a spokesman said.

In January of last year, the Transportation Department closed an investigation into the fatal 2016 crash in Florida of a Tesla on autopilot, finding that no "safety-related defect" had caused that accident.

Tesla dove on Wall Street following the news, with shares down 6.4 percent toward 1900 GMT.

Friday's fatal Tesla crash came the same week a collision involving an autonomous Uber vehicle in Arizona killed a pedestrian and caused that company to halt its self-driving car program.</s>The National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched investigators to examine a fatal crash last week in California of a Tesla Inc. electric vehicle and determine whether its semi-automated driving system was engaged.

The NTSB, obliged increasingly to address questions surrounding the safety of driverless-car technologies, said Tuesday it was conducting a “field investigation” of the Friday crash near Mountain View, Calif., that resulted in the vehicle later catching fire.

“Unclear if automated control system was active at time of crash,” the NTSB said in a social-media posting, in a reference to Tesla’s Autopilot feature. “Issues examined include: post-crash fire, steps to make vehicle safe for removal from scene.”

Read: Tesla is just months from a total collapse, says hedge-fund manager

A man was killed in the accident, after his Tesla traveling south on Highway 101 collided with a barrier and was struck by two other vehicles, according to the California Highway Patrol. Tesla’s stock TSLA, -8.22% plunged more than 8% in Tuesday trading.

An expanded version of this report appears on WSJ.com.</s>US federal investigators said Tuesday they were examining a fatal crash last week involving a Tesla electric automobile in California.

[SAN FRANCISCO] US federal investigators said Tuesday they were examining a fatal crash last week involving a Tesla electric automobile in California.

The California Highway Patrol reported that a 38-year-old man died Friday after his 2017 Tesla Model X collided with a highway barrier near the town of Mountain View, according to The San Jose Mercury News.

The vehicle caught fire before two other approaching cars hit it.

Tesla dove on Wall Street following the news, with shares closing down 8.2 per cent.

The National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday two investigators had begun a field probe.

"Unclear if automated control system was active at the time of the crash," the agency said on Twitter.

"Issues examined include: post-crash fire, steps to make vehicle safe for removal from scene." Tesla said Tuesday it was cooperating with the investigation.

"We have been deeply saddened by this accident and we have offered our full cooperation to the authorities as we work to establish the facts of the accident," a spokesman said.

In January of last year, the US Transportation Department closed an investigation into the fatal 2016 crash in Florida of a Tesla on autopilot, finding that no "safety-related defect" had caused that accident.

Friday's fatal Tesla crash came the same week a collision involving an autonomous Uber vehicle in Arizona killed a pedestrian and caused that company to halt its self-driving car programme.</s>SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The National Transportation Safety Board has sent two investigators to look into a fatal crash and fire Friday in California that involved a Tesla electric SUV.

The agency says on Twitter that it's not clear whether the Tesla Model X was operating on its semi-autonomous control system called Autopilot at the time. Investigators will study the fire that broke out after the crash.

The Mercury News of San Jose reported that a 38-year-old San Mateo man was killed in the U.S. 101 freeway crash near Mountain View in Silicon Valley.

The California Highway Patrol told the newspaper that the man was traveling south in the carpool lane when the Tesla hit a freeway barrier. The crash caused the fire. Rescuers freed the man but he died later at a hospital.</s>March 27 (Reuters) - The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is opening a field investigation of a fatal Tesla Inc crash and major vehicle fire near Mountain View, California, last week, the agency said on Tuesday.

Tesla shares fell 8.3 percent to $278.64 in mid-afternoon trading on Tuesday, hitting their lowest intraday level in almost a year, after news of the investigation and as chipmaker Nvidia Corp suspended self-driving tests across the globe with its partners including Tesla. Nvidia shares fell 9 percent.

It was unclear if the car was being driven by its automated control system at the time of the accident, which killed the Tesla driver and involved two other cars, the NTSB said on Twitter. Tesla vehicles have a system called Autopilot that handles some driving tasks at times.

"We have been deeply saddened by this accident, and we have offered our full cooperation to the authorities as we work to establish the facts of the incident," Tesla said in a statement.

The California Highway Patrol said the electric-powered Tesla Model X crashed into a freeway divider on Friday and then was hit by a Mazda before colliding with an Audi. The Tesla's lithium batteries caught fire and emergency officials consulted Tesla engineers before determining it was safe to move the vehicle and how to extinguish the battery fire. NTSB said the issues being examined include the post-crash fire and removing it from the scene.

In January, the NTSB and U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sent investigators to California to investigate the crash of a fire truck and a Tesla that apparently was traveling in semi-autonomous mode.

The NTSB can make safety recommendations but only NHTSA can order automakers to recall unsafe vehicles or fine automakers if they fail to remedy safety defects in a timely fashion. Before the agency could demand a recall from Tesla, it must open a formal investigation, a step it has not yet taken. Tesla's Autopilot allows drivers under certain conditions to take their hands off the wheel for extended periods. Tesla requires users to agree to keep their hands on the wheel "at all times" before they can use Autopilot.

In September, NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said operational limitations in the Tesla Model S played a major role in a May 2016 crash in Florida that killed a driver using Autopilot. That crash raised questions about the safety of systems that can perform driving tasks for long stretches with little or no human intervention but cannot completely replace human drivers.

Tesla in September 2016 unveiled improvements to Autopilot, adding new limits on hands-off driving.</s>The National Transportation Safety Board has sent two investigators to look into a fatal crash and fire Friday in California that involved a Tesla electric SUV.

The agency says on Twitter that it's not clear whether the Tesla Model X was operating on its semi-autonomous control system called Autopilot at the time. Investigators will study the fire that broke out after the crash.

The Mercury News of San Jose reported that a 38-year-old San Mateo man was killed in the U.S. 101 freeway crash near Mountain View in Silicon Valley.

The California Highway Patrol told the newspaper that the man was traveling south in the carpool lane when the Tesla hit a freeway barrier. The crash caused the fire. Rescuers freed the man but he died later at a hospital.</s>A U.S. agency said Tuesday it has sent investigators to look into a fatal crash and fire on a California highway that involved a Tesla electric SUV equipped with a semi-autonomous control system.

The National Transportation Safety Board said on Twitter that it's not clear whether the Tesla Model X was operating on its Autopilot program at the time of the crash.

The feature is designed to keep a vehicle centered in its lane at a set distance from cars in front of it and also can change lanes and brake automatically.

The driver of the Tesla, a 38-year-old man from San Mateo, California, was killed in the crash last week on U.S. 101 in Silicon Valley, California Highway Patrol spokesman Art Montiel said.

Photographs taken of the SUV show the front of the vehicle was obliterated. Its hood was ripped off and its front wheels were strewn on the freeway.

The vehicle was traveling southbound at "freeway speed" when it hit a freeway barrier, causing a collision with two other cars whose drivers were not reported injured, Montiel said.

"For unknown reasons the Tesla caught fire," Montiel said.

Palo Alto, California-based Tesla Motors wouldn't say if Autopilot was working at the time of the crash. It said in a statement Tuesday that it was deeply saddened by the crash and is cooperating with authorities.

The investigation is the latest by federal authorities into a crash involving a Tesla vehicle.

In January, the NTSB and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration dispatched teams to Culver City, near Los Angeles, to investigate the crash of a Model S electric car that may have been operating under the Autopilot system.

The investigations come as Congress and federal agencies grapple with how to regulate autonomous vehicles and those with systems that are partially self-driving.

Tesla has taken steps to prevent drivers from using Autopilot improperly, including measuring the amount of torque applied to the steering wheel and sending visual and audio warnings.

If the warnings are ignored, drivers would be prevented from using Autopilot, the company said.
The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) launches a probe into a Tesla electric car crash and fire in California. The NTSB says it will investigate issues firefighters had trying to determine how to respond.