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State Trooper Rear-Ended By Tesla On 'Autopilot' On I-95 In Norwalk

A state patrol cruiser was among two vehicles hit by a Tesla driving in autopilot on a busy stretch of Interstate 95 in Fairfield County.

A look at the crash scene on I-95.

A look at the crash scene on I-95.

Photo Credit: Connecticut State Police

It happened on Saturday morning, Dec. 7 on the northbound side near Exit 15 in Norwalk, Connecticut State Police said.

Two police cars responded to a disabled vehicle in the left-center lane when the incident occurred. The troopers activated their emergency lights and set up a flare pattern behind the cruisers while waiting for a tow truck for the disabled vehicle.

The Tesla, a 2018 Tesla Model 3, hit the disabled vehicle before striking the rear of one of the cruisers.

There were no injuries.

The unidentified man operating the Tesla Tesla said he was on autopilot while checking his dog in the backseat at the time of the crash, police said. The man was charged with reckless driving and reckless endangerment.

“This crash could’ve been avoided," U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) said. "While autonomous vehicles are an exciting development, the tech is simply not ready to be deployed safely. Congress must act to protect the public from these vehicles until their safety can be assured.”

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