40-year-old Joshua Brown, an ex-Navy Seal and Florida resident, was the country’s first confirmed self-driving automobile fatality. A Tesla enthusiast, Brown uploaded two dozen videos related to the car to his YouTube account.
According to police reports, the roof of Brown’s 2015 Model S was torn off as he collided with a tractor trailer crossing the divided highway. The force of the impact carried his vehicle through the trailer, two fences and a utility pole before coming to a stop 100 feet from the highway. The driver of the 18-wheeler was not injured, but Brown was declared dead at the scene of the accident.
Brown is alleged to have been watching a Harry Potter movie at the time of the accident. Officially, Tesla suggested that the accident resulted from Brown’s failure to remain in control of the vehicle. Autopilot warns drivers to stay in control of the vehicle and their eyes on the road.