Tesla in Full Self-Driving mode fatally hits pedestrian on I-80

Tesla in Full Self-Driving mode fatally hits pedestrian on I-80

2 min read•Oct 23, 2026•
Priya Nair
Priya Nair

A Tesla operating in Full Self-Driving mode fatally struck a 71-year-old man crossing I-80 in Vallejo, California, around 2:30 a.m. Thursday, first reported by The Verge. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that authorities believe at least one other vehicle struck him after the Tesla; the CHP is seeking witnesses and information about the crash.

In a statement to media outlets, the California Highway Patrol said it reviewed footage from the Tesla’s dashcam. The video showed the brakes being applied as the car steered left in an effort to avoid the pedestrian, but the Tesla’s right front still struck him.

The Tesla driver stopped and remained at the scene, while no other drivers stopped. The CHP Solano Area office is asking anyone who witnessed the collision or has information to contact it.

Last week, a driver said he was asleep and using FSD when his Tesla struck a police car stopped at the scene of an accident on I-80. The two incidents involved different collisions on I-80, with FSD in use in both.

After the earlier crash, the CHP warned drivers: “Despite its name, full self-driving is not fully autonomous. Technology does not relieve drivers of their responsibility to safely operate their vehicles.”

Plug-in vehicles reach 32% of global registrations in September

Plug-in vehicles reached 32% of global registrations in September, first reported by Cleantechnica. Battery-electric vehicles accounted for 23% of registrations and set a record at 1.54 million, up 8% year over year, while plug-in hybrids fell 9%; year to date in 2026, BEVs were up 12% and PHEVs down 10%.

Global plug-in registrations rose 3% year over year to around 2.16 million in September, close to the all-time record of 2.17 million set last December.

Year to date, plug-in registrations were up 4% year over year: BEVs grew 12%, while PHEVs fell 10%. Their combined share for 2026 stood at 25%, with BEVs at 18% and PHEVs at 7%. The overall growth rate therefore hides a clear split between the two categories.

The Tesla Model Y led the model rankings with a record 165,000 registrations, up 17% year over year. Tesla Model 3 came second with 65,000, enough to move ahead of Geely Xingyuan and BYD Song despite a 4% annual decline.

BYD Song finished fourth at 54,519 registrations, up 19% and the fastest growth rate among the top five. An export push and the new-generation Ultra body helped lift the model.

At the make level, Tesla had a record 232,000 registrations, up 9% year over year. Toyota reached 61,332 for its fourth record in a row, finishing ahead of Volkswagen’s year-best 58,000 to become September’s best-selling legacy make.