Skip to main content

Self-Driving Technology Under the Microscope After Fatal Tesla Autopilot Accident

Red Telsa Model S
Photo Credit: Chris Nagy


Today, Tesla Motors officially declared an action transpired in regards to autonomous and self-driving that many have feared as well as expected to happen. In a company blog posting, Tesla Motors announced their company was contacted by the United States NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) as a preliminary investigation has been opened into the self-driving Autopilot program installed on a Tesla Model S involved in a crash resulting in a death.

A fatal accident where an activated Autopilot system is suspect for being a leading factor, a male occupant of a Tesla Model S sedan died when the vehicle collided with the trailer of a transport truck. The explanation of the crash seems to indicate the limitations of this certain self-driving aid technology in detecting white objects in high light conditions. According to the blog account, the tractor trailer was perpendicular to the Model S where the all-electric vehicle drove under the bottom of the trailer.

Tesla Motors expressed sadness and sympathies towards the person as well as his family, the auto company. However, while acknowledging the accident and the evaluation of their Autopilot system, Tesla Motors has also included clarity and defense of the self-driving assist technology. Citing the Autopilot's record of completing 130 million miles of collective operations among Tesla vehicles, the automaker draws attention to statistics that a fatality on average occurs on American roadways every 94 million miles. Tesla does mention their Autopilot technology is still in the beta phase. Suggesting the software is improving as its continues to operate in real-worth cases, Tesla clearly makes its clear their Autopilot function is an assist feature and requires full driver attention when in use.

The organization Consumer Watchdog quickly reacted to the news as it was posted on the Tesla blog. "We hope this is a wake-up call to federal regulators that we still don't know enough about the safety of self-driving cars to be rushing them to the road. The Administration should slow its rush to write guidelines until the causes in this crash are clear, and the manufacturers provide public evidence that self-driving cars are safe." said the group's executive director Carmen Balber in a press release. Consumer Watchdog has been a vocal critic to the quick-moving development of autonomous and self-driving technology. In April, Consumer Watchdog issued a release calling for the NHTSA to reject Google's approval process for self-driving vehicles. A previous press release implored the regulator to ask Google 10 questions related to the execution of their self-driving cars. While several of the questions look for answers to legitimate concerns about the function of the self-driving software as well as privacy, Consumer Watchdog has also conveyed displeasure in what the organization has defined as a fast-track approval process. Part of question 9 read as follows: "NHTSA's performance standards are actually designed to promote new life-saving technology. Why is Google trying to circumvent them?"

It's inevitable this fatality with self-driving technology will result in the proliferation of ongoing debates on the future of this autonomous control on the road. Expect those discussion to take place in the days and weeks to come. Share value of  Tesla Motors shares have dropped to as much as $6.03 in after hours trading in the wake of the evaluation by the NHTSA,

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship: Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Review

Photo Credit: Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. untitled A companion to the NTT IndyCar Series finale weekend on the streets of Long Beach, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship staged a 26-car race on Saturday consisting of DPi, GTLM and GTD class machines. With the conclusion of the 1-hour, 40-minute Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach sports car event, the overall winner was the #31 Whelen Engineering Racing Cadillac shared by the driving duo of Felipe Nasr and Pipo Derani. The victory was a decisive weekend for the Whelen Engineering Racing team that had scored the pole position and went on to take the checkered flag with a 10.95-second gap over the #01 Cadillac fielded by Chip Ganassi Racing with Kevin Magnussen and Renger van der Zande. Corvette Racing enjoyed a dominant outing in the GTLM category. Nick Tandy and Tommy Milner in the #4 Chevrolet Corvette C8.R beat the #3 car shared by Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor. Only three GTLM class vehicles ran at Long Be

True Patriot Performance Love: Canadian-born Stuart Hilborn’s Winning Indy 500 Influence

Photo Credit: Chris Nagy/Car FYI When it comes to going fast, every flag in the world can be evenly captivated by the alluring rush of speed. However, the citizens of every nation want to see their country’s colours ride the fastest.  The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has long hosted exceptional gentlemen and ladies of the world attracted to the mystique of the event known as the Indianapolis 500. Drivers, financiers, media and even fans from all over the globe are recognized for their contribution to the traditional 500-mile race on the United States’ Memorial Day weekend. For Canadians, we celebrate the success of Jacques Villeneuve’s 1995 victory at the 2.5-mile oval while some curse the outcome of the 2002 Indy 500 where so argue Paul Tracy was the rightful winner rather than Helio Castroneves. While Canada’s best land-based pilots of automobiles are noted for their attempts to be immortalized through a relationship alongside the Borg-Warner trophy, one individual born in the nation

Car FYI's 2024 Canadian Automotive Guide: Ferrari

Photo Credit: Ferrari S.p.A. Product Lineup: 296 GTB, 296 GTS, Portofino M, Purosangue, Roma, Roma Spider, SF90 Spider, SF90 Stradale, SF90 XX Spider, SF90 XX Stradale Overall Brand Impression:  The devotion of the Italian artisans that has kept Ferrari as a premium sports car leader stretches right back to the company’s founder. However, while Enzo Ferrari believed in the construction of pure performance machines in disregard for creature comforts, today’s vehicles are assembled with more consideration of customers seeking luxury alongside supercar power. Despite a long resistance to engaging in the popular crossover category, Ferrari demonstrates a level of concession to the mass market in 2024 by introducing the all-new Purosangue. The Purosangue joins an exciting 2024 Ferrari lineup that also includes the introduction of the brand’s first street legal XX program vehicle. What’s New for 2024:  Every vehicle in Ferrari’s 2024 lineup is a merger of style and power. An auto brand reno