US authorities are investigating the first death potentially caused by self-driving technology.美国当局正在调查可能由无人驾驶技术引起的首例死亡案件。The driver of a Tesla car died in Florida in May after colliding with a lorry. Under scrutiny is Tesla's Autopilot feature, which automatically changes lanes and reacts to traffic.这辆特斯拉汽车的司机于今年五月在与一辆货车相撞后死亡。受到审查的是特斯拉的autopilot功能，它可以自动改变车道并对交通状况作出反应。In a statement, Tesla said it appeared the Model S car was unable to recognise "the white side of the tractor trailer against a brightly lit sky" that had driven across the car's path. The company said the crash was a "tragic loss".在一份声明中，特斯拉公司表示，这辆Model S型号的汽车没有能够识别出从其车道上开过的“明亮天光下拖拉机挂车的白边”。该公司称，该事故是一个“悲痛的损失”。

The collision led to the death of Tesla driver Joshua Brown, 40. The driver of the truck, which was pulling a trailer, was unhurt.此次相撞导致了现年40岁的特斯拉司机约书亚·布朗的死亡。而卡车的司机当时牵引着挂车，没有受伤。A video on YouTube, which appears to have been posted by Mr Brown, shows a dashboard camera recording of a previous incident, with the car steering to avoid a lorry in the next lane.根据布朗先生此前发布到Youtube上的一个视频显示，车载摄像机记录了之前的一次事件，该车正在躲避旁边车道行驶的货车。He wrote: "Tesla Model S autopilot saved the car autonomously from a side collision from a boom lift truck. Hands down the best car I have ever owned and use it to its full extent. It has done many, many amazing things, but this was one of the more interesting things caught on the dashcam."他写道：“特斯拉Model S型号汽车的autopilot可以自动让该车避免与一辆动臂升降车相撞。毫无疑问这是我拥有的最好的车，我在充分地使用它。它做了很多很多不可思议的事情，不过这是车载摄像机拍到的更有趣的事情之一。”