Comma’s hands-off driving tech under investigation after 2 fatal crashes

Federal safety investigators are examining Comma.ai after five crashes tied to the company’s aftermarket driver-assistance technology, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation said. The probe follows reports that the devices did not detect or react to slow or stopped vehicles in the same lane, a failure mode cited by the agency. Two of the reported incidents were fatal, resulting in three deaths, and four crashes led to as many as 11 injuries, including serious trauma in some cases. The ODI indicated that at least some of the collisions may have involved users running “forked” or modified versions of Comma.ai’s open-source software, openpilot. Comma.ai, founded by George Hotz in 2015, produces hardware and the openpilot software that retrofit the adaptive cruise control and lane-centering functions on compatible modern vehicles. The company’s site compares the functionality to systems such as Tesla Autopilot and GM Super Cruise, and states that openpilot can automatically steer, accelerate and brake for other vehicles within a lane. Comma.ai’s materials also emphasize that drivers must remain ready to take manual control and that the company’s device uses a camera-based driver monitoring system. At least one of the fatal crashes appears to have occurred in February 2026 in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, when a 2022 Toyota RAV4 running FrogPilot — a third-party fork of openpilot — struck a stopped first responder vehicle. Louisiana State Police released details of that crash which match the incident recorded in the NHTSA database; two rear-seat passengers in the Toyota died. Comma.ai and George Hotz did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The investigation is ongoing and additional details may emerge as the ODI continues its review of the reported incidents and the software configurations involved.