Queen Elizabeth's 97-year-old husband <a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/the-man-who-would-be-king-eventually-prince-charles-turns-70-175799">Prince</a> Philip escaped uninjured from a car crash while driving on Thursday near the Sandringham estate in eastern England.

Police said two people in a car that collided with that of the prince, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, were both taken to hospital for minor injuries but later discharged.

Pictures from the scene showed a Land Rover overturned on the side of the road. The accident occurred when Philip was pulling out of a driveway onto the main road, the BBC reported, quoting a witness saying he was very shaken.

Philip drove former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle to lunch during their state visit to Britain in 2016.

Buckingham Palace confirmed Thursday's accident.

"The Duke was not injured," it added in a statement.

A palace spokeswoman later confirmed Philip was at the wheel and was checked by a doctor afterwards. He did not go to hospital and was now back at Sandringham, the private country residence owned by Queen Elizabeth in the county of Norfolk.

Famous for verbal gaffes but generally regarded with wry affection by Britons, Philip married Elizabeth in 1947 and has been by his wife's side throughout her long reign.

Since retiring from official solo duties in 2017, he has appeared in public alongside the Queen and other members of the royal family at events and church services.

He had successful hip replacement surgery last year.

The former naval officer did not accompany the Queen to a church service on Christmas Day last month though a royal source said he was in good health.

Kate Williams, a royal historian, said it would be a blow to Philip if the incident ended his driving days. "He really loves driving and takes great pleasure in it and were he not allowed to drive he would find that quite painful," she said.

There is no legal age in Britain to stop driving, but after 70 people must renew their licence every three years.

Outspoken yet intensely private, Philip developed a reputation for brusque comments and often headline-grabbing remarks during ceremonial events.

A stray comment about "slitty eyes" during a visit to China in the 1980s became symbolic of his gruff and often unguarded manner. Even into his 90s, his off-the-cuff comments could still get him into trouble, such as when he exasperatedly swore at a photographer during an event in 2015.

Queen Elizabeth's 97-year-old husband Prince Philip escaped uninjured from a car crash while driving on Thursday near the Sandringham estate in eastern England. Police said two people in a car that collided with that of the prince, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, were both taken to hospital for minor injuries but later discharged.

Queen Elizabeth's 97-year-old husband Prince Philip escaped uninjured from a car crash while driving on Thursday near the Sandringham estate in eastern England. Police said two people in a car that collided with that of the prince, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, were both taken to hospital for minor injuries but later discharged. Pictures from the scene showed a Land Rover overturned on the side of the road. The accident occurred when Philip was pulling out of a driveway onto the main road, the BBC reported, quoting a witness saying he was very shaken. Philip drove former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle to lunch during their state visit to Britain in 2016. Buckingham Palace confirmed Thursday's accident. "The Duke was not injured," it added in a statement. A palace spokeswoman later confirmed Philip was at the wheel and was checked by a doctor afterwards. He did not go to hospital and was now back at Sandringham, the private country residence owned by Queen Elizabeth in the county of Norfolk. Famous for verbal gaffes but generally regarded with wry affection by Britons, Philip married Elizabeth in 1947 and has been by his wife's side throughout her long reign. Since retiring from official solo duties in 2017, he has appeared in public alongside the Queen and other members of the royal family at events and church services. He had successful hip replacement surgery last year. The former naval officer did not accompany the Queen to a church service on Christmas Day last month though a royal source said he was in good health. Kate Williams, a royal historian, said it would be a blow to Philip if the incident ended his driving days. "He really loves driving and takes great pleasure in it and were he not allowed to drive he would find that quite painful," she said. There is no legal age in Britain to stop driving, but after 70 people must renew their licence every three years. Outspoken yet intensely private, Philip developed a reputation for brusque comments and often headline-grabbing remarks during ceremonial events. A stray comment about "slitty eyes" during a visit to China in the 1980s became symbolic of his gruff and often unguarded manner. Even into his 90s, his off-the-cuff comments could still get him into trouble, such as when he exasperatedly swore at a photographer during an event in 2015.

Watch: UK's Prince Philip escapes unhurt in car crash

Queen Elizabeth II's 97-year-old husband <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/world/uks-prince-philip-97-escapes-unhurt-from-car-crash-191090&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiYr8_go_ffAhWMto8KHfLpA7QQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw0D9hLQxzkTVSOjw3_ffdXB">Prince Philip</a> emerged "shocked and shaken" but unhurt from a car crash that flipped his Land Rover on its side and stirred up the UK debate on Friday about old age and driving.

A nine-month-old baby who was in the back seat of the Kia hatchback involved was uninjured, while one of the two women inside hurt her wrist, local police said.

"We are aware of the public interest, in this case, however, as with any other investigation it would be inappropriate to speculate on the causes of the collision until an investigation is carried out," the police said in a statement.

Images published by UK media showed a dark Land Rover standing on its side by the curb, driver's side down, its windscreen smashed, glass and metal debris scattered across a road running by a leafy park.

"I was driving home and I saw a car, a black (Land) Rover come out from a side road and it rolled," witness Roy Warne told BBC Radio on Friday.

"There was a huge collision with another car. I went to the other car and there was a baby in the back" in a harness.

Warne said one of the two other women in the Kia "was the mother of the child and she was quite upset".

Philip and the other driver were given breath tests, which is standard police procedure. No alcohol was detected.

The accident created banner headlines in most British papers, which cover the royals' every move, and a robust media debate about the wisdom of driving at Philip's age.

"MY LEGS! MY LEGS!" The Sun tabloid splashed on its front page — reportedly the phrase Prince Philip "yelled" as he was pulled from the wreckage.

It quoted him as saying: "I was blinded by the sun."

Love for speed

Philip, known for his forthright manner and off-colour jokes, retired from public life in 2017 and underwent a hip replacement operation last April.

Tall, slim and built like a retired soldier, the former air force pilot spends most of his time driving, gardening and enjoying family life at royal estates, according to Buckingham Palace.

He was last seen in public with the queen at Princess Eugenie's wedding in October.

But he missed the royal family's annual Christmas Day church service gathering.

Known as the Duke of Edinburgh in Britain, Philip is also famous for his love for speed.

The royal family website says the duke "learned to fly all type of aircraft", passing a Royal Air Force test in 1953.

In 2016, alongside the queen, he drove former US president Barack Obama and his wife Michelle around Windsor Castle after they landed nearby in the presidential helicopter.

'Age-old debate'

The accident stirred up what The Sun described as Britain's "age-old debate" about whether and when the elderly should give up driving.

The issue is especially sensitive in the case of the royals, with the Daily Mail noting: "There's only one person who can tell him to stop driving. But will she dare?"

The queen was reportedly at the duke's side when he checked in for a brief hospital visit, but has issued no public comment.

Official figures cited by UK media show more than 100,000 drivers in the UK over the age of 90.

In Britain, licenses expire when a person turns 70 and are renewed through a simple self-assessment test.

"There will be some surprise that the duke still drives himself on public roads," BBC royal correspondent Jonny Dymond wrote in a commentary.

"But he has always been fiercely independent, and would have resisted any suggestion that he be denied the right to drive himself."

The Daily Mail asked whether the duke would now "sacrifice one of his last indulgences".

The BBC's Dymond suggested that he might.

"It might be that the duke is about to be persuaded to give up the wheel." 
&nbsp;

Queen Elizabeth II's 97-year-old husband Prince Philip emerged "shocked and shaken" but unhurt from a car crash that flipped his Land Rover on its side and stirred up the UK debate on Friday about old age and driving.

Queen Elizabeth II's 97-year-old husband Prince Philip emerged "shocked and shaken" but unhurt from a car crash that flipped his Land Rover on its side and stirred up the UK debate on Friday about old age and driving. A nine-month-old baby who was in the back seat of the Kia hatchback involved was uninjured, while one of the two women inside hurt her wrist, local police said. "We are aware of the public interest, in this case, however, as with any other investigation it would be inappropriate to speculate on the causes of the collision until an investigation is carried out," the police said in a statement. Images published by UK media showed a dark Land Rover standing on its side by the curb, driver's side down, its windscreen smashed, glass and metal debris scattered across a road running by a leafy park. "I was driving home and I saw a car, a black (Land) Rover come out from a side road and it rolled," witness Roy Warne told BBC Radio on Friday. "There was a huge collision with another car. I went to the other car and there was a baby in the back" in a harness. Warne said one of the two other women in the Kia "was the mother of the child and she was quite upset". Philip and the other driver were given breath tests, which is standard police procedure. No alcohol was detected. The accident created banner headlines in most British papers, which cover the royals' every move, and a robust media debate about the wisdom of driving at Philip's age. "MY LEGS! MY LEGS!" The Sun tabloid splashed on its front page — reportedly the phrase Prince Philip "yelled" as he was pulled from the wreckage. It quoted him as saying: "I was blinded by the sun." Love for speed Philip, known for his forthright manner and off-colour jokes, retired from public life in 2017 and underwent a hip replacement operation last April. Tall, slim and built like a retired soldier, the former air force pilot spends most of his time driving, gardening and enjoying family life at royal estates, according to Buckingham Palace. He was last seen in public with the queen at Princess Eugenie's wedding in October. But he missed the royal family's annual Christmas Day church service gathering. Known as the Duke of Edinburgh in Britain, Philip is also famous for his love for speed. The royal family website says the duke "learned to fly all type of aircraft", passing a Royal Air Force test in 1953. In 2016, alongside the queen, he drove former US president Barack Obama and his wife Michelle around Windsor Castle after they landed nearby in the presidential helicopter. 'Age-old debate' The accident stirred up what The Sun described as Britain's "age-old debate" about whether and when the elderly should give up driving. The issue is especially sensitive in the case of the royals, with the Daily Mail noting: "There's only one person who can tell him to stop driving. But will she dare?" The queen was reportedly at the duke's side when he checked in for a brief hospital visit, but has issued no public comment. Official figures cited by UK media show more than 100,000 drivers in the UK over the age of 90. In Britain, licenses expire when a person turns 70 and are renewed through a simple self-assessment test. "There will be some surprise that the duke still drives himself on public roads," BBC royal correspondent Jonny Dymond wrote in a commentary. "But he has always been fiercely independent, and would have resisted any suggestion that he be denied the right to drive himself." The Daily Mail asked whether the duke would now "sacrifice one of his last indulgences". The BBC's Dymond suggested that he might. "It might be that the duke is about to be persuaded to give up the wheel."

UK's Prince Philip 'shocked and shaken' after car crash

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday sought to use the death of a NFL player in a car crash -- which police say was caused by an undocumented migrant -- to bolster his campaign to tighten border security.

Two days after Indianapolis Colts player Edwin Jackson and another man were killed, Trump highlighted that the suspected drunk driver -- who had been deported twice in the past -- was again in the country illegally.

&quot;So disgraceful that a person illegally in our country killed @Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson. This is just one of many such preventable tragedies. We must get the Dems to get tough on the Border, and with illegal immigration, FAST!&quot; Trump tweeted.

Jackson and the driver of his ride-share car were killed after a black Ford F-150 pickup driven by a 37-year-old man struck both of them as they were standing on the side of a highway by their stopped vehicle.&nbsp;

Indiana police identified the suspect as Manuel Orrego-Savala, a Guatemalan national. Immigration authorities are working with local police on the case.

Since coming to office, Trump has repeatedly tried to link migration with crime.

Later on Tuesday, he is scheduled to host law enforcement agents at the White House for a roundtable on the violent MS-13 gang, which originated in California, but has ties to several countries in Central America.

Most of the estimated 10,000 members in the US trace their heritage to El Salvador, Honduras or Guatemala.

Trump has demanded that Democrats in Congress agree more spending to build a &quot;wall&quot; on the Mexican border and on America&#39;s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation force.

Linebacker Jackson, 26, was signed by the Colts in January 2016 and played parts of one season in the league. He started eight games for Indianapolis, making 66 tackles.

Police said after the truck hit them, Orrego-Savala then tried to flee the scene on foot before being arrested.

&quot;My prayers and best wishes are with the family of Edwin Jackson, a wonderful young man whose life was so senselessly taken,&quot; Trump also tweeted.

'So disgraceful that a person illegally in our country killed @Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson,' Trump tweeted

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday sought to use the death of a NFL player in a car crash -- which police say was caused by an undocumented migrant -- to bolster his campaign to tighten border security. Two days after Indianapolis Colts player Edwin Jackson and another man were killed, Trump highlighted that the suspected drunk driver -- who had been deported twice in the past -- was again in the country illegally. "So disgraceful that a person illegally in our country killed @Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson. This is just one of many such preventable tragedies. We must get the Dems to get tough on the Border, and with illegal immigration, FAST!" Trump tweeted. Jackson and the driver of his ride-share car were killed after a black Ford F-150 pickup driven by a 37-year-old man struck both of them as they were standing on the side of a highway by their stopped vehicle. Indiana police identified the suspect as Manuel Orrego-Savala, a Guatemalan national. Immigration authorities are working with local police on the case. Since coming to office, Trump has repeatedly tried to link migration with crime. Later on Tuesday, he is scheduled to host law enforcement agents at the White House for a roundtable on the violent MS-13 gang, which originated in California, but has ties to several countries in Central America. Most of the estimated 10,000 members in the US trace their heritage to El Salvador, Honduras or Guatemala. Trump has demanded that Democrats in Congress agree more spending to build a "wall" on the Mexican border and on America's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation force. Linebacker Jackson, 26, was signed by the Colts in January 2016 and played parts of one season in the league. He started eight games for Indianapolis, making 66 tackles. Police said after the truck hit them, Orrego-Savala then tried to flee the scene on foot before being arrested. "My prayers and best wishes are with the family of Edwin Jackson, a wonderful young man whose life was so senselessly taken," Trump also tweeted.

Trump ties NFL death to illegal migrants

Manchester City&#39;s Argentine striker Sergio Aguero &quot;sustained injuries&quot;&nbsp;in a car crash, the club said Friday.&nbsp;

The accident occurred in Amsterdam, Holland.&nbsp;

Aguero was returning to England Friday to have his injuries examined.&nbsp;

City will be playing Chelsea in London on Saturday.&nbsp;

&quot;Sergio Aguero will be assessed by club doctors today after being involved in a road accident on Thursday. The City forward was in Holland on his day off and has sustained injuries,&quot; AFP quoted a statement from the club as saying.

City have since announced Aguero will not be playing on Saturday.&nbsp;

AFP reported Amsterdam Police as saying they had attended to a car accident on Thursday evening at around 11 pm after a &quot;taxi-cab hit a lamp-post&quot;.&nbsp;

Amsterdam Police said there were two passengers in the taxi, but did not confirm their identities.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Aguero was involved in a car crash in Amsterdam on Thursday in which a 'taxi-cab hit a lamp-post'

Manchester City's Argentine striker Sergio Aguero "sustained injuries" in a car crash, the club said Friday. The accident occurred in Amsterdam, Holland. Aguero was returning to England Friday to have his injuries examined. City will be playing Chelsea in London on Saturday. "Sergio Aguero will be assessed by club doctors today after being involved in a road accident on Thursday. The City forward was in Holland on his day off and has sustained injuries," AFP quoted a statement from the club as saying. City have since announced Aguero will not be playing on Saturday. AFP reported Amsterdam Police as saying they had attended to a car accident on Thursday evening at around 11 pm after a "taxi-cab hit a lamp-post". Amsterdam Police said there were two passengers in the taxi, but did not confirm their identities.

Injured in car crash, City's Aguero will not play Chelsea on Saturday

Former world number one tennis player Venus Williams was involved in a two-car crash on June 9 at a Florida intersection that resulted in the death of a male passenger in the other vehicle, her attorney said on Thursday.

Williams&#39;s attorney Malcolm Cunningham denied the player was at fault in the accident after media outlets, citing a police report, said she had run a red light.

&quot;Ms. Williams entered the intersection on a green light,&quot; Cunningham said in a statement about the accident, which happened near Williams&#39; home in Palm Beach Gardens. &nbsp;

&quot;The police report estimates that Ms&nbsp;Williams was travelling at 5 miles per hour when Mrs. Barson crashed into her. Authorities did not issue Ms&nbsp;Williams with any citations or traffic violations,&quot; he said.

He expressed condolences to the man&#39;s family and said he had no reason to believe the accident would impact 37-year-old Williams&#39; plans to compete in Wimbledon, which begins next week in England.

&quot;This is an unfortunate accident and Venus expresses her deepest condolences to the family who lost a loved one.&quot;

&quot;I don&#39;t have any information that indicates she is not playing Wimbledon,&quot; he said.

TMZ Sports, which first reported on the accident, said the police report claims Williams was at fault and identifies the deceased as 78-year-old Jerome Barson, who died 14 days after the accident from his injuries.

The Palm Beach County medical examiner&#39;s website shows that a Jerome Barson died on June 22.

An attorney for the Barson family did not return a call for comment.

Williams is currently ranked number 11 in the world and seeded 10th at the Wimbledon, which she has won five times.

The two-car collision on June 9 at a Florida intersection resulted in the death of a male passenger in the other vehicle

Former world number one tennis player Venus Williams was involved in a two-car crash on June 9 at a Florida intersection that resulted in the death of a male passenger in the other vehicle, her attorney said on Thursday. Williams's attorney Malcolm Cunningham denied the player was at fault in the accident after media outlets, citing a police report, said she had run a red light. "Ms. Williams entered the intersection on a green light," Cunningham said in a statement about the accident, which happened near Williams' home in Palm Beach Gardens. "The police report estimates that Ms Williams was travelling at 5 miles per hour when Mrs. Barson crashed into her. Authorities did not issue Ms Williams with any citations or traffic violations," he said. He expressed condolences to the man's family and said he had no reason to believe the accident would impact 37-year-old Williams' plans to compete in Wimbledon, which begins next week in England. "This is an unfortunate accident and Venus expresses her deepest condolences to the family who lost a loved one." "I don't have any information that indicates she is not playing Wimbledon," he said. TMZ Sports, which first reported on the accident, said the police report claims Williams was at fault and identifies the deceased as 78-year-old Jerome Barson, who died 14 days after the accident from his injuries. The Palm Beach County medical examiner's website shows that a Jerome Barson died on June 22. An attorney for the Barson family did not return a call for comment. Williams is currently ranked number 11 in the world and seeded 10th at the Wimbledon, which she has won five times.

Venus Williams involved in fatal car crash

Tesla&nbsp;Motors Inc&nbsp;said on Tuesday&nbsp;that its autosteer software was enabled during a crash involving a Model X in Montana at the weekend, according to a spokesperson for the California car maker.

In the Montana crash, which took place on Sunday, the driver said Autopilot was engaged when the car slammed into 13 guardrails, according to Montana State Troopers. The driver was issued an $85 ticket for careless driving.

Tesla&nbsp;said the data suggested &quot;the driver&#39;s hands were not on the steering wheel, as no force was detected on the steering wheel for over two minutes after autosteer was engaged&quot;.

Tesla&nbsp;said the driver was using the feature on an undivided mountain road,&nbsp;which the company advises against, and didn&#39;t respond to alerts to put his hands on the wheel.

The Montana crash came as US&nbsp;highway safety regulators demanded that&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;hand over detailed information about the design, operation and testing of its Autopilot technology following a May 7 fatal crash in which the system was in use.

The US&nbsp;National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), investigating an accident that has increased scrutiny of automated driving technology, also wants to know what&nbsp;Tesla investigators have learned about the crash.

Joshua Brown was killed when his vehicle, operating on Autopilot in Florida, drove under a tractor trailer. It was the first known fatality to involve a Model S operating on the Autopilot system that takes control of steering and braking in certain conditions. 
 
(Reuters)

The automaker?said the driver was using the feature on an undivided mountain road, which the company advises against

Tesla Motors Inc said on Tuesday that its autosteer software was enabled during a crash involving a Model X in Montana at the weekend, according to a spokesperson for the California car maker. In the Montana crash, which took place on Sunday, the driver said Autopilot was engaged when the car slammed into 13 guardrails, according to Montana State Troopers. The driver was issued an $85 ticket for careless driving. Tesla said the data suggested "the driver's hands were not on the steering wheel, as no force was detected on the steering wheel for over two minutes after autosteer was engaged". Tesla said the driver was using the feature on an undivided mountain road, which the company advises against, and didn't respond to alerts to put his hands on the wheel. The Montana crash came as US highway safety regulators demanded that Tesla hand over detailed information about the design, operation and testing of its Autopilot technology following a May 7 fatal crash in which the system was in use. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), investigating an accident that has increased scrutiny of automated driving technology, also wants to know what Tesla investigators have learned about the crash. Joshua Brown was killed when his vehicle, operating on Autopilot in Florida, drove under a tractor trailer. It was the first known fatality to involve a Model S operating on the Autopilot system that takes control of steering and braking in certain conditions. (Reuters)

Tesla under scrutiny after second autopilot crash

The US Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating whether Tesla Motors Inc waited too long to disclose a fatal crash in May that called into question the safety of a system in the car that takes control of steering and braking, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing an unnamed source. 
 
Tesla said in a statement on Monday afternoon that it &quot;has not received any communication from the SEC regarding this issue&quot;. The SEC declined to comment. 
 
Tesla shares fell 1.3 per cent in after-hours trading following the publication of the report on the Journal&#39;s website.&nbsp; 
 
The stock had risen 3.7 per cent during regular trading, following a tweet on Sunday by Chief Executive Elon Musk that he is working on a &quot;Top Secret Masterplan, Part 2&quot; for the electric car company. 
 
Musk, hinting at a possible new vision for the company, stated in the tweet that he hoped to &quot;publish later this week&quot;. 
 
In its report on Monday, the Journal said the SEC is scrutinizing whether Tesla should have disclosed the fatal accident involving a Model S sedan operating in Autopilot mode as a &ldquo;material&rdquo; event, or a development a reasonable investor would consider important.&nbsp; 
 
It is unclear what action, if any, the SEC will take. Automakers do not customarily report fatal auto accidents involving their vehicles as material events to shareholders. 
 
There is no established practice yet for reporting accidents where emerging auto-driving technology may be a factor. 
 
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) already said that it was investigating the May 7 accident in Florida, in which 40-year-old Joshua Brown was killed.&nbsp; 
 
NHTSA is sending a five-person team to Florida later this week to investigate that crash, said Christopher O&#39;Neil, a spokesman for the agency, which makes recommendations to regulators and companies about transportation-related safety issues. 
 
The timing of Tesla&#39;s disclosures about the accident has become an issue for the company in part because Autopilot is key to its image as a pioneer in automotive technology. 
 
No other automaker has released to the public a system in which a person can drive with hands off the wheel for an extended period while a car is in motion. 
 
Tesla has said Autopilot should be used as a backup and not as a replacement for the driver, who should keep hands on the wheel all the time, and it has cautioned that the system is in beta, or test, mode. 
 
Musk last week used his Twitter account to mount a defence of Tesla&#39;s decision not to disclose the accident to the public until June 30, when NHTSA said it was launching its investigation.&nbsp; 
 
Tesla said it alerted NHTSA on May 16, nine days after the accident, as it conducted its own internal probe into the crash. 
 
NHTSA said last week that it was also looking into a July 1 crash in Pennsylvania of a Tesla Model X sport utility vehicle to determine whether Autopilot functions were engaged at the time of the accident. 
 
Tesla also said on Monday that it was looking into a crash in Montana. 
 
In that crash, according to a report on Electrek, a clean technology transport news website, a Model X driver said Autopilot was engaged when the car slammed into a guardrail.&nbsp;Tesla did not provide any further details.&nbsp; 
 
Lawyers for the family of Brown said they are investigating the circumstances of the crash, and awaiting conclusions from police and federal agencies. 
 
Paul Grieco, one of the lawyers for the Brown family, told Reuters his firm has received calls from other Tesla owners involved in accidents, some involving autopilot and others not. 
 
The probes related to Autopilot come at a time when Musk and his high-flying company face pressure on several fronts. 
 
In May, Tesla sold $2 billion worth of shares, in part to fund Musk&#39;s plan to accelerate development of a new, lower priced electric car, the Model 3. Then in June, Musk disclosed a plan for Tesla to buy residential solar panel installation firm SolarCity Corpfor $2.8 billion in Tesla stock.&nbsp; 
 
That plan has drawn criticism from some investors critical of Musk&#39;s role as both chairman and largest shareholder of SolarCity and CEO of Tesla. 
 
At the same time, Tesla is struggling to meet its targets for building and delivering its Model S sedans and Model X sport utilities. The company reported during the long July 4 holiday weekend that it had delivered 14,370 vehicles during the second quarter, short of its target of 17,000 vehicles. 
 
(Reuters)

The crash has called into question the safety of a system in the car that takes control of steering and braking

The US Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating whether Tesla Motors Inc waited too long to disclose a fatal crash in May that called into question the safety of a system in the car that takes control of steering and braking, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing an unnamed source. Tesla said in a statement on Monday afternoon that it "has not received any communication from the SEC regarding this issue". The SEC declined to comment. Tesla shares fell 1.3 per cent in after-hours trading following the publication of the report on the Journal's website. The stock had risen 3.7 per cent during regular trading, following a tweet on Sunday by Chief Executive Elon Musk that he is working on a "Top Secret Masterplan, Part 2" for the electric car company. Musk, hinting at a possible new vision for the company, stated in the tweet that he hoped to "publish later this week". In its report on Monday, the Journal said the SEC is scrutinizing whether Tesla should have disclosed the fatal accident involving a Model S sedan operating in Autopilot mode as a “material” event, or a development a reasonable investor would consider important. It is unclear what action, if any, the SEC will take. Automakers do not customarily report fatal auto accidents involving their vehicles as material events to shareholders. There is no established practice yet for reporting accidents where emerging auto-driving technology may be a factor. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) already said that it was investigating the May 7 accident in Florida, in which 40-year-old Joshua Brown was killed. NHTSA is sending a five-person team to Florida later this week to investigate that crash, said Christopher O'Neil, a spokesman for the agency, which makes recommendations to regulators and companies about transportation-related safety issues. The timing of Tesla's disclosures about the accident has become an issue for the company in part because Autopilot is key to its image as a pioneer in automotive technology. No other automaker has released to the public a system in which a person can drive with hands off the wheel for an extended period while a car is in motion. Tesla has said Autopilot should be used as a backup and not as a replacement for the driver, who should keep hands on the wheel all the time, and it has cautioned that the system is in beta, or test, mode. Musk last week used his Twitter account to mount a defence of Tesla's decision not to disclose the accident to the public until June 30, when NHTSA said it was launching its investigation. Tesla said it alerted NHTSA on May 16, nine days after the accident, as it conducted its own internal probe into the crash. NHTSA said last week that it was also looking into a July 1 crash in Pennsylvania of a Tesla Model X sport utility vehicle to determine whether Autopilot functions were engaged at the time of the accident. Tesla also said on Monday that it was looking into a crash in Montana. In that crash, according to a report on Electrek, a clean technology transport news website, a Model X driver said Autopilot was engaged when the car slammed into a guardrail. Tesla did not provide any further details. Lawyers for the family of Brown said they are investigating the circumstances of the crash, and awaiting conclusions from police and federal agencies. Paul Grieco, one of the lawyers for the Brown family, told Reuters his firm has received calls from other Tesla owners involved in accidents, some involving autopilot and others not. The probes related to Autopilot come at a time when Musk and his high-flying company face pressure on several fronts. In May, Tesla sold $2 billion worth of shares, in part to fund Musk's plan to accelerate development of a new, lower priced electric car, the Model 3. Then in June, Musk disclosed a plan for Tesla to buy residential solar panel installation firm SolarCity Corpfor $2.8 billion in Tesla stock. That plan has drawn criticism from some investors critical of Musk's role as both chairman and largest shareholder of SolarCity and CEO of Tesla. At the same time, Tesla is struggling to meet its targets for building and delivering its Model S sedans and Model X sport utilities. The company reported during the long July 4 holiday weekend that it had delivered 14,370 vehicles during the second quarter, short of its target of 17,000 vehicles. (Reuters)

US SEC investigating whether Tesla waited too long to disclose fatal crash: WSJ

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