Federal investigators are looking into the first self-driving car death in the U.S., which happened in Florida in a Tesla Model S.

  • Joshua D. Brown of Canton, Ohio was tech company founder
  • Brown died in his Tesla in collision with tractor-trailer in Florida
  • Tesla: 'We are beyond saddened by (the family's) loss'

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said a man using the "Autopilot" in a Tesla S sports car collided with a tractor-trailer last month in Williston, in the "Big Bend" area of Florida.

Joshua D. Brown of Canton, Ohio, 40, was the owner of a technology company. He died May 7 when his Tesla's cameras failed to distinguish the white side of a turning tractor-trailer from a brightly lit sky and didn't automatically activate the brakes, according to statements by the government and the automaker, and collided with the trailer, the Associated Press reported.

Brown was so enamored of his Tesla Model S sedan that he nicknamed the car "Tessy" and praised the safety benefits of its sophisticated "Autopilot" system, the AP said. His published obituary described him as a member of the Navy SEALs for 11 years and founder of Nexu Innovations Inc., working on wireless internet networks and camera systems. The Pentagon confirmed Brown's work with the SEALs, the AP said.

Tesla released a statement about the crash, saying, in part:

"This is the first known fatality in just over 130 million miles where Autopilot was activated. Among all vehicles in the US, there is a fatality every 94 million miles. Worldwide, there is a fatality approximately every 60 million miles. ... The customer who died in this crash had a loving family and we are beyond saddened by their loss. ... We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends."

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.