無人駕駛技術出現首個命案 美國宣佈調查特斯拉

US authorities are investigating the first death potentially caused by self-driving technology.

美國當局正在調查可能由無人駕駛技術引起的首例死亡案件。

The driver of a Tesla car died in Florida in May after colliding with a lorry. Under scrutiny is Tesla's Autopilot feature, which automatically changes lanes and reacts to traffic.

這輛特斯拉汽車的司機於今年五月在與一輛貨車相撞後死亡。受到審查的是特斯拉的autopilot功能，它可以自動改變車道並對交通狀況作出反應。

In a statement, Tesla said it appeared the Model S car was unable to recognise "the white side of the tractor trailer against a brightly lit sky" that had driven across the car's path. The company said the crash was a "tragic loss".

在一份聲明中，特斯拉公司表示，這輛Model S型號的汽車沒有能夠識別出從其車道上開過的“明亮天光下拖拉機掛車的白邊”。該公司稱，該事故是一個“悲痛的損失”。

The collision led to the death of Tesla driver Joshua Brown, 40. The driver of the truck, which was pulling a trailer, was unhurt.

此次相撞導致了現年40歲的特斯拉司機約書亞·布朗的死亡。而卡車的司機當時牽引着掛車，沒有受傷。

A video on YouTube, which appears to have been posted by Mr Brown, shows a dashboard camera recording of a previous incident, with the car steering to avoid a lorry in the next lane.

根據布朗先生此前發佈到Youtube上的一個視頻顯示，車載攝像機記錄了之前的一次事件，該車正在躲避旁邊車道行駛的貨車。

He wrote: "Tesla Model S autopilot saved the car autonomously from a side collision from a boom lift truck. Hands down the best car I have ever owned and use it to its full extent. It has done many, many amazing things, but this was one of the more interesting things caught on the dashcam."

他寫道：“特斯拉Model S型號汽車的autopilot可以自動讓該車避免與一輛動臂升降車相撞。毫無疑問這是我擁有的最好的車，我在充分地使用它。它做了很多很多不可思議的事情，不過這是車載攝像機拍到的更有趣的事情之一。”