# Aftermarket driver assist under federal probe

> NHTSA investigates comma.ai devices after five crashes killed three and injured 11 people.
- Title: Aftermarket driver assist under federal probe · Ars Technica
- Summary: NHTSA investigates comma.ai devices after five crashes killed three and injured 11 people. Aftermarket driver assistance systems may not reliably detect…
- Keywords: comma.ai, nhtsa, driver assistance systems, aftermarket devices, fatal crashes, openpilot, george hotz, vehicle safety, autonomous driving, federal investigation, technology, science
- Source: Ars Technica — https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/09/aftermarket-driver-assist-under-federal-probe-following-fatal-crashes
- Published: 2026-09-23T14:20:23+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: comma.ai, nhtsa, driver assistance systems, aftermarket devices, fatal crashes, openpilot, george hotz, vehicle safety, autonomous driving, federal investigation, technology, science
## Federal probe targets aftermarket driver assist
NHTSA is investigating comma.ai devices after five crashes killed three people and injured 11 others. The agency suspects the systems fail to detect stopped or slow-moving vehicles.

> NHTSA isn't sure that Comma's systems are able to adequately detect a slow or stopped car in the path of travel.
## George Hotz built comma.ai
Comma.ai was founded by George Hotz, who gained fame jailbreaking iPhones and hacking PlayStations. He pivoted to driver assistance systems in 2015, inspired by Tesla's Autopilot.
## From startup to open source software
Comma initially tried selling plug-and-play devices but stopped after NHTSA inquiries in 2016. The company then released openpilot software and hardware plans on GitHub, letting anyone build the system.
## Rapid growth and widespread adoption
By 2020, comma.ai's $999 device outranked all OEM systems in Consumer Reports. Today, over 30,000 drivers use openpilot, having driven more than 402 million miles across 325 car models.
## Crashes involved stopped vehicles
At least two of the five crashes involved comma.ai-controlled cars hitting stopped vehicles, including a first responder's car in the fatal crash. One crash involved a modified version called FrogPilot.
## Key takeaway

Aftermarket driver assistance systems may not reliably detect stopped or slow-moving vehicles, prompting federal safety scrutiny.