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Comma.ai<\/a>, the startup founded by hacker George Hotz, is facing a federal investigation<\/a> after five reported crashes involving the company\u2019s aftermarket hands-off driver assistance tech, two of which resulted in three deaths.<\/p>\n The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration\u2019s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) said this week that the reported crashes involved Comma devices failing to detect or respond to slow or stopped vehicles in the same road lane. Across four of the crashes, as many as 11 people were injured, some seriously. <\/p>\n Some of the crashes, including at least one of the fatal incidents, may have involved the use of \u201cforked\u201d or modified versions of Comma.ai\u2019s software, according to the ODI.<\/p>\n Comma.ai could not immediately be reached for comment. Hotz, who distanced himself<\/a> from the startup\u2019s day-to-day operations in 2022, did not immediately return a request for comment.<\/p>\n Founded in 2015, Comma.ai makes devices that can be installed on a range of modern cars. The devices \u2014 and Comma.ai\u2019s software, \u201copenpilot,\u201d \u2014 can control a car\u2019s Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Automated Lane Centering (ALC) systems to perform functions \u201csimilar to Tesla Autopilot and GM Super Cruise,\u201d according to the startup\u2019s website. The goal is to \u201cmake driving chill.\u201d<\/p>\n Comma.ai\u2019s website claims that \u201copenpilot can steer, accelerate, and brake automatically for other vehicles within its lane.\u201d Still, much like Tesla and GM, Comma.ai warns drivers that they \u201cmust always be capable to immediately retake manual control of the vehicle, by stepping on either pedal or by pressing the cancel button.\u201d The company\u2019s device uses a camera-based driver monitoring system to watch for distracted or sleepy drivers.<\/p>\n One of the two fatal crashes appears to have happened in February 2026 in Ascension Parish, Louisiana. It A 2022 Toyota RAV4, which was running FrogPilot, a third-party fork of openpilot, struck a stopped first responder vehicle. <\/p>\n Louisiana State Police released<\/a> details of a crash in February that appear to match the report in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration\u2019s database. In its description of the crash, the agency said two rear-seat passengers of the Toyota died.<\/p>\n This story is developing\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission<\/a>. This doesn\u2019t affect our editorial independence.<\/em><\/p>\n