Washington
THE push to bring self-driving cars to American roads got a significant boost on Thursday when the nation's chief auto safety regulator essentially cleared Tesla Motors Inc's Autopilot system of fault in a fatal 2016 crash.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that the owner of a Tesla Motors Inc Model S sedan that drove itself into the side of a truck in May had ignored the manufacturer's warnings to maintain control even while using the driver-assist function. The agency said it found no defect in the vehicle and wouldn't issue a recall.
"The auto industry just let out a giant sigh of relief," said Dave Sullivan, an analyst at consultancy AutoPacific Inc. "This...