The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has initiated a preliminary evaluation of aftermarket driver assistance devices manufactured by Comma. This action follows the receipt of five accident reports connected to these devices, which resulted in 14 injuries and three fatalities across the two most severe crashes. All five incidents occurred while the system was active or engaged, primarily involving vehicles that were either stopped or moving slowly.
One of the two fatal accidents reportedly took place last February in Louisiana. A 2022 Toyota RAV4, operating FrogPilot — a third-party modification of openpilot — crashed into a stopped emergency response vehicle. Separately, Louisiana police released details of another February accident where a Toyota collided with a "fully marked Gonzales Police Department vehicle, unoccupied and parked in the left lane with its emergency lights activated while officers investigated another accident." State police confirmed that two rear passengers in the Toyota died.
Advanced driver assistance systems have historically struggled to detect stopped, slow-moving vehicles, or other stationary objects. Tesla and Ford have also faced similar investigations following accidents linked to their systems, highlighting a broader industry challenge.
Though not a household name, Comma has been operating for over 10 years. George Hotz, a hacker known for successfully jailbreaking the first iPhone and PlayStation 3 console, founded the company in 2015. At Comma's inception, many automakers and industry experts believed fully autonomous vehicles were imminent, and Hotz aimed to capitalize on this opportunity.
Comma produces devices compatible with many modern vehicle models. These devices, combined with the company's "openpilot" software, can control a vehicle's adaptive cruise control and automatic lane keeping assist functions. This allows them to perform tasks similar to those offered by tesla autopilot and gm super cruise. Their stated goal is to "make driving more relaxing."
 |
A small screen below the rearview mirror is part of Comma's self-driving system. *Comma*
Comma currently sells its proprietary hardware, named Comma Four. This system reportedly supports over 325 vehicle models across 27 different brands, with over 30,000 drivers using it in the US alone.
Comma states that "openpilot can automatically steer, accelerate, and brake for other vehicles in the same lane." However, like Tesla and GM, Comma warns drivers to "always be ready to take over manual control of the vehicle immediately by pressing either pedal or the cancel button." The company's device incorporates a camera-based driver monitoring system to detect distracted or drowsy drivers.
The Comma driver assistance system is tested in a Hyundai on a winding road. *Sal's Garage*
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) report suggests that the Comma Four system may have failed to detect or respond promptly to vehicles in these scenarios. Through the preliminary evaluation, NHTSA will analyze data from each incident to assess system performance and protective mechanisms, ensuring the safety of vehicles equipped with Comma's devices.
My Anh (according to Carscoops, TechCrunch)
