A Tesla running on Autopilot smashed into a deputy’s patrol vehicle in Washington state, police say, causing ‘significant damage’

• A Tesla collided with a Washington state deputy's patrol car on Saturday.
• Police say the Tesla Model S was operating under Autopilot, Tesla's driver-assist software.
• No one was hurt, but there was "significant damage" to the deputy's car, the Snohomish County sheriff's office said.
• See more stories on Insider's business page.

A Tesla Model S that police say was operating under Autopilot crashed into a Washington state deputy's patrol vehicle on Saturday, the Snohomish County sheriff's office said on Monday.

The collision caused "significant damage" to the patrol car, which was parked on the side of the road, the sheriff's office said on Monday in a statement on Facebook.

A deputy was responding to an incident in Northeast Seattle, in Snohomish County, where another car had run straight into a power pole, according to the sheriff's office. The deputy parked his vehicle on the road shoulder with the emergency lights flashing.

He got out of his car to speak with emergency services at the scene. About 30 seconds later, a Tesla rammed into the front-left side of the deputy's car, the sheriff's office said. The Tesla was operating under Autopilot, Tesla's driver assistance system, the sheriff's office.

No one was injured, the sheriff's office said. "This is a great reminder that vehicles may have autopilot to assist, but it cannot be relied upon to get you safely from one destination to the next," it added.

NBC first reported that Washington State Patrol was investigating the Tesla crash, which involved a 2015 Tesla Model S.

Insider has reached out to Washington State Patrol for comment.

Tesla didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Photos show that the driver's door, front left wheel, and mirror were damaged.

Autopilot uses cameras and sensors to keep the Tesla in the correct position on the road.

The driving-assistance feature has come under heavy scrutiny for being involved in a number of car crashes, and even deaths.

At least three Tesla drivers have died while the car was operating under the Autopilot system, Insider previously reported.