Comma.AI faces federal investigation after two fatal crashes involving its open-source driver assistance software

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating Comma.ai after at least two serious crashes, one fatal and one resulting in injury, involved vehicles equipped with the company’s open-source advanced driver assistance system. At least some of the crashes appear to have involved “forked” versions of Comma’s software, raising questions about who bears responsibility when open-source code gets behind the wheel. The fatal crash occurred in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, involving a Toyota RAV4. A separate injury crash took place in Cameron, Missouri, involving a Honda Accord that was traveling at roughly 82 mph before impact. Both incidents fell under NHTSA’s Standing General Order, a reporting regime that requires companies offering Level 2 ADAS systems to disclose certain crashes to the federal agency. Open source, open questions Comma.ai sells aftermarket hardware that pairs with its openpilot software to add semi-autonomous driving features to a wide range of compatible vehicles. The company was founded by hacker George Hotz and has positioned its offerings primarily for research and developmental purposes, emphasizing the experimental nature of its software and th...