Feds Investigate Aftermarket Hands-Free Driving Tech After 5 Crashes, 3 Reported DeathsGuessing HeadlightsAndre NalinThu, September 24, 2026 at 5:30 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleImage Credit: Aslysun/ Shutterstock.Modern driver-assistance technology normally arrives baked into a new vehicle, but Comma.AI offers another route. Its aftermarket hardware promises to bring hands-free driving capabilities to hundreds of existing models.Federal safety regulators are now taking a closer look at that technology. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Office of Defects Investigation opened a preliminary evaluation into Comma.AI on September 21.Investigators have identified five crashes involving vehicles fitted with comma devices, all occurring under similar circumstances. In each case, NHTSA says the vehicle struck a stopped or slowly moving vehicle in the same travel lane.AdvertisementAdvertisementTwo of those crashes resulted in three fatalities, while four of the five contributed to non-fatal injuries, including serious injuries, involving another 11 people. NHTSA has not concluded that Comma.AI's system caused the crashes.NHTSA Is Looking At Five CrashesThis shouldn't exist, but it does. pic.twitter.com/vZeLou4FO4— comma (@comma_ai) September 5, 2026According to the agency, investigators have confirmed that comma systems were powered on or engaged in multiple crashes. Preliminary data suggests the system may not have adequately detected or responded to the stopped or slow-moving vehicles.Determining exactly what happened is now part of the investigation. NHTSA intends to verify the system's status during each incident and evaluate its performance, along with safeguards intended to ensure drivers use the technology safely.The preliminary evaluation covers Comma Three, Comma 3X, Comma Four, and OpenPilot, with NHTSA estimating an affected population of approximately 30,000 products.It Adds Hands-Free Driving To Existing CarsImage Credit: Comma.AI / Screenshot.Comma's hardware is installed aftermarket and connects to a vehicle's existing systems through a wiring harness. Cameras in the device work alongside the vehicle's stock sensors to provide sustained automated control of speed and steering.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe company advertises its products as providing "hands-free driving for the car you already have" and says installation can take around 15 minutes. Its open-source OpenPilot software is advertised as compatible with more than 325 vehicle models and capable of driving for hours without intervention.That doesn't mean the driver can stop paying attention. Comma explicitly states that OpenPilot requires drivers to stay alert and ready to take control at all times.Modified Software Is Also Under ScrutinyThere's another complication regulators will examine: OpenPilot is open source. Modified versions of the software, commonly known as forks, can therefore differ from the official release.NHTSA says that if a fork was being used during any crash or other incident, investigators will evaluate it and consider which components it shares with OpenPilot.AdvertisementAdvertisementFor now, this is a preliminary evaluation rather than a finding that Comma's products contain a safety defect. The investigation should help regulators determine what role, if any, the aftermarket driving system played in the five crashes and whether additional action is necessary.If you want more stories like this, follow Guessing Headlights on Yahoo so you don't miss what's coming next.
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