US Probes Comma.AI over Crashes Tied to Aftermarket Driver Assistance Devices
The agency said the devices failed to detect slow or stopped vehicles, and four crashes injured as many as 11 people.
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched an investigation Wednesday into Comma after reports of five crashes involving its aftermarket driver-assistance devices, resulting in three deaths and 11 injuries.
- Founded in 2015 by George Hotz, Comma produces aftermarket devices using open-source software to augment native vehicle systems. The startup released hardware plans to GitHub, allowing users to build the devices themselves.
- Comma reports more than 30,000 vehicles have logged 402 million miles using OpenPilot. The software controls Adaptive Cruise Control and Automated Lane Centering, performing functions 'similar to Tesla Autopilot and GM Super Cruise,' per the startup's website.
- Investigations indicate some crashes involved 'forked' or modified software versions. A Toyota RAV4 running FrogPilot, a third-party fork, struck a stopped first responder vehicle in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, in February 2026.
- While Comma warns drivers they 'must always be capable to immediately retake manual control,' the federal probe examines whether the technology failed to detect stopped vehicles. The investigation continues as regulators assess the crash reports.
19 Articles
19 Articles
NHTSA investigates comma.ai's openpilot over 5 crashes that killed 3
NHTSA has opened a formal investigation into comma.ai’s aftermarket driver assistance devices after five crashes where cars running openpilot plowed into stopped or slow-moving vehicles in their own lane. Two of those crashes killed three people. The probe covers an estimated 30,000 comma three, comma 3X, and comma four devices. It’s the biggest regulatory problem for George Hotz’s startup since NHTSA pushed it to cancel its first product back i…
NHTSA Launches Probe Into Comma.ai Aftermarket Driver Systems Following Five Crashes and Three Deaths
NHTSA opened PE26007 into comma.ai after five crashes where its aftermarket devices and openpilot software struck stopped or slow vehicles. Two crashes killed three people and injured 11 others. At least one fatal incident involved a third-party software fork called FrogPilot. The probe examines system detection performance and safeguards. (48 words)
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