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Orlando crash involving Tesla on Autopilot, FHP cruiser is 12th crash added to federal probe

ORLADNO. Fla. — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has added a 12th crash to its investigation of Tesla’s Autopilot system.

In an 11-page letter sent to Tesla Tuesday, the agency requested detailed information on how Tesla’s Autopilot system detects and reacts to emergency vehicles parked on highways.

The request comes after a Tesla on Autopilot hit a parked Florida Highway Patrol cruiser Saturday on I-4 near downtown Orlando.

SEE: Tesla on autopilot crashes into FHP cruiser on I-4

According to FHP, the trooper had stopped to help a driver whose SUV broke down on I-4 near Ivanhoe Boulevard Saturday morning.

While helping the driver of the SUV, a Tesla driving west on I-4 crashed into the trooper’s car.

READ: US asks Tesla how Autopilot responds to emergency vehicles

The trooper, who was outside of his car at the time of the crash, was able to avoid being hit by the Tesla and was not injured.

FHP said the driver of the Tesla told investigators that the car was on “autopilot” at the time of the crash.

NHTSA has been looking into Tesla’s driver-assist systems after a series of collisions with emergency vehicles since 2018.

WATCH: Tesla on autopilot crashes into FHP cruiser on I-4

Of the crashes under investigation, one person was killed and at least 17 people have been injured.

The probe covers 765,000 vehicles from the 2014 through 2021 model years.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Matt Reeser

Matt Reeser, WFTV.com

Matt Reeser joined WFTV in 1998 as a news photographer and has worked for television stations in Kentucky and West Virginia.

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