The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into a tragic incident involving a Ford Mustang Mach-E in Philadelphia. This fatal crash occurred on March 3 on the I-95 interstate highway, where the Mach-E collided with two stationary vehicles. The NTSB’s interest stems from concerns regarding the use of the BlueCruise hands-free driving system, an advanced feature offered by Ford, which operates on a vast majority of highways in the U.S. and Canada, excluding areas with intersections or traffic signals.
This isn’t the first time the NTSB has probed into accidents involving advanced driver assistance systems in Ford vehicles. In February, they initiated an investigation into a fatal crash in San Antonio, Texas, where a Mustang Mach-E equipped with BlueCruise rear-ended a stationary Honda CR-V on Interstate Highway 10. Following standard procedure, Ford has promptly notified the National Highway Transportation Safety Association (NHTSA) upon learning about the Philadelphia incident. NHTSA mandates automakers to report all fatal crashes involving such advanced systems.
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Ford has expressed cooperation with both the NTSB and the Pennsylvania State Police, who are jointly investigating the March 3 crash. The automaker has vowed to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident to ascertain the facts. Meanwhile, the NHTSA has refrained from immediate comment on the matter.
The aftermath of the Philadelphia crash resulted in the closure of a significant section of I-95 for several hours, as reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer. The NTSB’s interest in advanced driver assistance systems isn’t exclusive to Ford; they’ve previously initiated investigations into systems like Tesla’s Autopilot. These ongoing inquiries highlight the growing importance of ensuring the safety and reliability of such technologies as they become increasingly integrated into modern vehicles.
