The U.S. has suffered its first self-driving car death, after a man was tragically killed while using "autopilot" mode in a Tesla S sports car, Digital Spy reports.

It's been confirmed on June 30 that the driver died after a collision with a truck on May 7 in Williston, Florida.

According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the crash took place after a tractor-trailer rig turned left in front of the car.

The driver was named as 40-year-old Ohio resident Joshua Brown.

An official statement from Tesla said: "This is the first known fatality in just over 130 million miles where Autopilot was activated. Among all vehicles in the U.S., there is a fatality every 94 million miles.

"Worldwide, there is a fatality approximately every 60 million miles. It is important to emphasize that the NHTSA action is simply a preliminary evaluation to determine whether the system worked according to expectations.

"The customer who died in this crash had a loving family and we are beyond saddened by their loss.

"He was a friend to Tesla and the broader EV community, a person who spent his life focused on innovation and the promise of technology and who believed strongly in Tesla's mission. We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends."