Recently, NHTSA said it has opened a special investigation into a crash that killed a motorcyclist in California. Media reports said a 48-year-old motorcyclist was killed on July 7 after a collision with a 2021 Tesla Model Y on the Riverside Freeway. NHTSA typically opens more than 100 special crash investigations annually into emerging technologies and other potential auto safety issues that have, for instance, previously helped to develop safety rules on airbags. In June, NHTSA upgraded its defect investigation into 830,000 Tesla vehicles with Autopilot, a required step before it could seek a recall. Tesla, which has disbanded its press office, did not respond to a request for comment.