NHTSA Complaint #11098058 — 2016 TESLA MODEL S

THIS SUNDAY MAY 20 I WAS DRIVING MY TESLA MODEL S SOUTHBOUND ON ROUTE 1 IN REHOBOTH TO WORK IN AUTOPILOT MODE. I HAD THIS FEATURE OF MY VEHICLE SET TO 50 MPH. IF YOU AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH AUTOPILOT IN TESLA'S, LET ME EXPLAIN HOW IT WORKS. ONCE THE VEHICLE INDICATES THE FEATURE CAN BE ACTIVATED, YOU PRESS A BUTTON AS YOU WOULD ANY OTHER VEHICLE WITH BASIC CRUISE CONTROL, AND THE CAR WILL LITERALLY ACCELERATE, DECELERATE, AND STEER ITSELF WITHOUT FURTHER INPUT FROM THE DRIVER. WHILE USING THIS FEATURE OF MY VEHICLE, I HAD A SIGNIFICANT ACCIDENT ON ROUTE 1. AS I SAID, MY VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT A RATE OF 50 MPH. I WAS DRIVING IN THE LEFT LANE SOUTHBOUND WITH AUTOPILOT ACTIVATED. IN TURNABOUT IN THE MEDIAN, A WHITE PICKUP WAS PERPENDICULAR TO MY CAR WITH STICKING OUT ABOUT 1 FT INTO MY LANE. THE LEFT SIDE OF MY CAR SKIMMED THE BACK OF HIS CAR WITHOUT SLOWING DOWN. AUTOPILOT FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THE CAR WAS THERE. I AM LUCKY I WASN'T KILLED, AND I AM LUCKY NO ONE ELSE WAS HURT. THIS ACCIDENT HAS SHAKEN ME UP QUITE A BIT. NOW, I DO NOT BLAME TESLA 100% FOR THIS AUTO ACCIDENT; I DON'T PLAN TO FILE A LEGAL CLAIM AGAINST THEM OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IN FACT, I PLAN ON REPLACING MY VEHICLE WITH ANOTHER TESLA (WITHOUT THE SAID AUTOPILOT FEATURES) BUT I WOULD BE DOING A DISSERVICE TO ANYONE WITHOUT TRYING TO USE THIS EXPERIENCE OF MINE TO HOPEFULLY SAVE LIVES IN THE FUTURE. I BROUGHT THESE EXACT ISSUES UP WITH TESLA REGARDING MY ACCIDENT SEVERAL TIMES TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND MY CONCERNS HAVE BEEN TOTALLY DISMISSED. IF REGULATION FOR FEATURES LIKE THESE IN VEHICLES IS NOT IMPLEMENTED, UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE NO DOUBT IN MY MIND PEOPLE WILL BE HURT AND POSSIBLY KILLED,