The death of a driver who was using Tesla Motors' semi-autonomous mode could add to the public's apprehension about driverless cars.

Joshua D. Brown of Canton, Ohio, died in the accident May 7 in Williston, Florida, when his Tesla Model S failed to automatically activate its brakes and crashed into a tractor-trailer.

Tesla's shares dropped 3 percent in after-hours trading after the government said it would investigate the crash.

The crash could hurt efforts to bring self-driving technology to market. In a recent University of Michigan survey, two-thirds of drivers said they are moderately or very concerned about riding in a self-driving vehicle.

But analysts said Thursday that it would be unfortunate if public sentiment swung too far against driverless vehicles, which could potentially save thousands of lives each year.

 

FILE PHOTO - In this Monday, April 25, 2016, file photo, a man sits behind the steering wheel of a Tesla Model S electric car on display at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition in Beijing. Federal officials say the driver of a Tesla S sports car using the vehicle’s “autopilot” automated driving system has been killed in a collision with a truck, the first U.S. self-driving car fatality. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said preliminary reports indicate the crash occurred when a tractor-trailer made a left turn in front of the Tesla at a highway intersection. NHTSA said the Tesla driver died due to injuries sustained in the crash, which took place on May 7 in Williston, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)