Tesla Model S hits police SUV while in Autopilot mode

[Burty117]

I'm starting to think that Captain Cranky has been right all along and that Musk sells to the least intelligent people possible:

The Autopilot system warns drivers who keep their hands off the wheel. Ignoring this will eventually see the feature disabled and can even cause the vehicle to pull up as a safety precaution. But some owners continue to leave the driver’s seat when it is activated, including a UK man who was caught on video sitting in the passenger seat while his Tesla did the driving.

If this keeps up, you'll be able to use any handicap parking space in the country just by owning a Tesla.

Probably more than one.

Think much? SMH. Let's compare miles driven by human vs by self-wrecking cars. You are so blind to want to put "tech" in at the risk of human safety. Would you walk out in front of one of these things? If not, why do you want to force it on us?

“complete total loss,” Umm, hey buddy. What about "complete" and "total" that you would need both in the same sentence? Maybe I don't understand english very well.

It is much much worse when an AutoPilot automatically pilots itself into a stationary vehicle. Because the AutoPilots are neither being punished, nor taken off the driver pool nor being corrected or retrained as a human would. Elon Musk, creator of the AutoPilot, is not being punished but if you would be, if you were 'piloting' this vehicle.

Hope that helps you understand the difference between a human (like yourself) crashing into a stationary vehicle vs Elon Musk's AutoPilot piloting itself into stationary vehicles.

Are human driven cars advertised as being safer?

no?

autopilot cars ARE. Thats why, when autopilot screws up and does this, it faces such scrutiny.

I think people got the wrong end of my, admittedly badly written comment. It was more aimed at "here we go again, media trying to make Tesla look rubbish again". Nearly all (not every single one but most of them) were due to the person behind the wheel not following instructions. I agree, the name is terrible when it's really just a glorified cruise control. It feels like the Media are trying very hard to make Tesla look bad. After years of the media deliberately bullying persons or entities (PewDiePie as a Nazi comes to mind) this reeks of media bullying again. I don't see any counter stories like "Audi crashes while cruise control is on" for example.

Could just be I'm bored of being told the same thing over and over again and therefore don't care unless there's a counter argument being made in the article.

 

[captaincranky]

...[ ]...As I see it, anyone who does not yet see that Musk is an overgrown, tempter tantrum throwing baby in a man's body is denying reality.

I'd have gone with "greedy, lying, thieving, lecherous, treacherous, sack of sh!t", but you're apparently a lot more tolerant, reserved, and polite, than I. (Oh well, nobody's perfect).

 

[captaincranky]

Musk believed that Tesla's radar autopilot could be made as accurate as a lidar system through software. He need to rethink that position.

A plural verb goes with a singular subject, (at least in English). In other words, "he needs".

Once you've gotten that attended to, why not write the corrected software for Mr. Musk, so that he can take full credit for fixing the issue? (y)

 

[captaincranky]

If this was Musk driving the Tesla, I'll bet he could have bribed his way out of a ticket by promising the cops a guaranteed berth in his mars colony, one day real soon..

(Right after he asked them for a deposit on his new "police SUV", also coming out, "real soon").

 

[captaincranky]

I'm sorry, but why are you blaming them for what is "allegedly" human stupidity? We still don't know yet for this one, but until now it's been user error that caused the past accidents. Who seriously leaves the driver's seat? O_o

This rapidly deteriorates to a "chicken or the egg paradox".

Sic: "which came first, the stupidity, or the money to be talked into pissing away on a Tesla".

Although I can see how one issue might be heavily predicated on the other.

 

[captaincranky]

No one has a right to drive. This is one reason why inspections and licences are required. By having autopilot and human controlled cars equally valid under law, it creates as false impression that human driven cars are just as safe. They are not..

I know what you mean. When, (or this point "if"), I grow up, I want an antonymous vehicle to drive me around, while I hide in the furthest away from from danger part of the car, curl up in the fetal position while sucking my one thumb, and play with my smart phone with the other.

Maybe I'll install a crap load of red lighting, so I can delude myself into thinking I'm back in the womb.

 

[Dimitrios]

Not a fan of Musk but I trust his cars more then the *****s here in my state of CT. Please come drive here, you will go crazy.

 

[captaincranky]

Not a fan of Musk but I trust his cars more then the *****s here in my state of CT. Please come drive here, you will go crazy.

Hey look, things are tough all over. I parked my car Thursday before the holiday weekend, and didn't use it again til yesterday. This was because I quickly realized, that the drunk drivers in the hood, were intent on seizing their civil rights at any cost, while traffic signs and signals were merely suggestions to be completely ignored

 

[centrino207]

I wonder how many human controlled vehicles crashed into a stationary vehicle that day...

Musk's huburus in naming his driving aids as "autopilot" fully knowing people would misinterpret what that means is going to sink his brand will all this negative press.

May be so that he is calling it autopilot but the public is getting spoon fed by the media as drivless cars.

 

[centrino207]

I've come to conclusion about the mindset of Tesla owners that matches exactly that of Apple customers.

I think Apple should by Tesla, to stockpile all its faithful undiscourageable idi0ts.

I'm sorry, but why are you blaming them for what is "allegedly" human stupidity? We still don't know yet for this one, but until now it's been user error that caused the past accidents. Who seriously leaves the driver's seat? O_o

Because the media is saying we have driverless cars and drivless taxi and trucks not in beta testing but coming out the pipe ASAP. Not 10 years from now or more.

People look at these cars as driveless cars not autopilot.

 

[captaincranky]

May be so that he is calling it autopilot but the public is getting spoon fed by the media as drivless cars.

Musk chose the most expansive and comprehensive name for his cute little feature he could, when in reality, it isn't a whole lot more capable than "cruise control", which we've had for more than half a decade:

From Wikipedia:

Modern cruise control (also known as a speedostat or tempomat) was invented in 1948 by the inventor and mechanical engineer Ralph Teetor.[1] His idea was borne out of the frustration of riding in a car driven by his lawyer, who kept speeding up and slowing down as he talked. The first car with Teetor's system was the 1958 Imperial(called "Auto-pilot") using a speed dial on the dashboard.[2] This system calculated ground speed based on driveshaft rotations off the rotating speedometer-cable, and used a bi-directional screw-drive electric motor to vary throttle position as needed.

As you can plainly see by the emboldened text, Musk even snatched the term from automotive lingo. There isn't an original thought in the man's head.

Now if we're comparing the Tesla "Auto-Pilot", to the aircraft function of the same name, as a pilot, I'd feel very comfortable with engaging it, and sitting one of the stewardesses on my lap, and perhaps playing with her little "bow-tie".

In a more "grounded situation", I wouldn't suggest you well-to-do males, plunk your stupid a**es in the passenger seat. and begin sexually harassing your secretary while the Tesla system is, "leaving the driving to Musk".

 

[Ravey]

I wonder how many human controlled vehicles crashed into a stationary vehicle that day...

Probably more than one.

Not sure about other countries but in the uk we have this handy public website...

http://www.crashmap.co.uk/

You can search for pretty much every type of road incident and if you create an account you can also download detailed reports. Unfortunately you cant filter by a specific manufacturer of car.

 

[wiyosaya]

No one has a right to drive. This is one reason why inspections and licences are required. By having autopilot and human controlled cars equally valid under law, it creates as false impression that human driven cars are just as safe. They are not.

This is also a huge reason why we are debating this. While autopilot *is* safer (at least if you care about statistics -- even when normalized), it is also regulated. At any moment the public backlash for isolated events could drastically change a new industry. Something the legacy cars would prefer (because that means less competition).

I'm not afraid of this so much at the regulatory level (say, the state DMV) but moreso at the legislative level where an amendment could be slipped into a major bill to change the industry without careful review.

No one is saying, in particular, myself, that human driven vehicles are safer, not by a long shot. What I am saying is that there appear to be a disproportionate amount of crashes coming from Tesla in situations where the car should just stop.

You are citing statistical numbers. Statistics can be bent in many ways possible. How about normalizing them to the billions of miles driven by humans to the million or so miles driven by autonomous cars. As time goes on, these inane instances where a Tesla just keeps going when it should obviously stop is disproportionately driving the statistics up against autopilot in automobiles - at least as I see it. Unless Tesla does something about this, they will not only destroy their reputation, but seriously hurt the reputation of autonomous vehicles, too, all in the name of profits for a struggling car company.

Musk is more interested in selling his vehicles than he is in the safety of his drivers. Every 2018 Toyota has collision avoidance, and we hear nothing about it failing - so far - to stop a vehicle in a situation like this. WTF - driving into a parked vehicle of any type at 65 MPH for a car equipped with the sensors to detect this type of thing is just insane. I bet the autopilot that drove into the parked fire truck at 65 MPH was begging the driver to take control. How inane can it get?

I am all for autonomous vehicles, but the tech is just is not there yet, and the publicity that Tesla is generating over its marketing ploy is not helping in the least - IMO.

 

[wiyosaya]

I think people got the wrong end of my, admittedly badly written comment. It was more aimed at "here we go again, media trying to make Tesla look rubbish again".

Musk needs no help from the media. He is doing a great job himself!

 

[IAMTHESTIG]

It does come to a stop if forced to relinquish control because of human ignorance. During the time that Autopilot has taken control, how many accidents has it been involved in. Even little minor ones? Now, during that same time period, how many people killed other people while driving? How many fender benders? How many dead animals? How many dead children? Let me tell you. One you can count on one or two hands. The other you can’t count at all. Neither can the dead. You need to step back and look at the big picture here. It’s a picture that could very likely still have your mom, your dad, your brother, your sister, your pet. Still in it because they didn’t get killed by a human driver not paying attention.

I don't think this is really a fair comparison because look at the millions and millions of human controlled vehicles on the road. There are considerably less computer controlled vehicles driving around on public roads. I won't disagree they have some great potential to prevent some common collisions but at the same time there are some collisions that shouldn't have ever happened in the first place.

 

[wiyosaya]

I don't think this is really a fair comparison because look at the millions and millions of human controlled vehicles on the road. There are considerably less computer controlled vehicles driving around on public roads. I won't disagree they have some great potential to prevent some common collisions but at the same time there are some collisions that shouldn't have ever happened in the first place.

(y)

 

[wiyosaya]

HAL9000 voice: Take over the wheel of the car, Dave. Dave, take over the wheel of the car. Dave, take over the wheel of the car or I am going to crash you, Dave.

 

[MaikuTech]

Perhaps the autopilot system's radar has a limited field of view... I can see how an optical only system could fail to see other vehicles and large objects, but radar.

Yet again, I declare that they need more sensor data. They need lots more data to interpret their surroundings. It is unfathomable though, hitting a parked, stationary vehicle.

When I was reading that article thats the first thing that came to my mind.
I am trying to figure it out is.how in the hell did the ai system while turning.
Go halfway across the street and hit the parked police car ? oO
I mean it had plenty of space to turn, I'm sure it had to detect the car to avoid any potential accidents =/.
Autopilot and computer driven vehicles scares the **** out of me we don't need kitt and karr like cars just yet.

 

[jtveg]

I think the problem is that people have gotten the idea that the safety features built in to the Tesla ie the "Autopilot" system makes their car similar to Google's autonomous vehicles.

Since both of these technologies are new and amazing and have a lot of media hype surrounding them it is easy for the average person to misunderstand that these are essentially different systems with different intentions and limitations.

 

[captaincranky]

I think the problem is that people have gotten the idea that the safety features built in to the Tesla ie the "Autopilot" system makes their car similar to Google's autonomous vehicles.

Since both of these technologies are new and amazing and have a lot of media hype surrounding them it is easy for the average person to misunderstand that these are essentially different systems with different intentions and limitations.

The argument could also made that "the average person", shouldn't piss away $150,000 on a car he or she doesn't know how to operate

"li listened to Musk's hype, and it caused me to crash my new toy" ! How pathetic is that?

The other makers are forthright about what their automated driving assist systems wil do. For instance, keep you car in the center of the lane. But again, how pathetic do you need to be to need that? Put your f***ing phone down, and pay attention. That's really all that's necessary.

The more of these "add on safety features" you put on today's cars, the more it seems you're trying to excuse the mediocrity of today's millennial generation of inattentive, incompetent, and under trained drivers, period.

 

[centrino207]

I think the problem is that people have gotten the idea that the safety features built in to the Tesla ie the "Autopilot" system makes their car similar to Google's autonomous vehicles.

Since both of these technologies are new and amazing and have a lot of media hype surrounding them it is easy for the average person to misunderstand that these are essentially different systems with different intentions and limitations.

The argument could also made that "the average person", shouldn't piss away $150,000 on a car he or she doesn't know how to operate

"li listened to Musk's hype, and it caused me to crash my new toy" ! How pathetic is that?

The other makers are forthright about what their automated driving assist systems wil do. For instance, keep you car in the center of the lane. But again, how pathetic do you need to be to need that? Put your f***ing phone down, and pay attention. That's really all that's necessary.

The more of these "add on safety features" you put on today's cars, the more it seems you're trying to excuse the mediocrity of today's millennial generation of inattentive, incompetent, and under trained drivers, period.

Than make it clear for owners that buy cars that this not a driveless car and not like Google drivless cars but drive aid only.

Make the owner read it and sign it before buying it.

Every time a car turns on click yes to the pop up message that this not a driveless car that media is making out to be.

But a drive aid only and not a drivless car.

People are buying into the media hype that these are futuristic driveless cars.

And robots and drivless cars are taking your jobs in less than 5 years or 10 years tops. Thanks to the media.

 

[centrino207]

I think the problem is that people have gotten the idea that the safety features built in to the Tesla ie the "Autopilot" system makes their car similar to Google's autonomous vehicles.

Since both of these technologies are new and amazing and have a lot of media hype surrounding them it is easy for the average person to misunderstand that these are essentially different systems with different intentions and limitations.

The problem is the media is say the technology is not 10 to 15 years away but the technology is here now when comes to robots and drivless cars.

And drivless taxi and drivless bus and trucks are around the corner and will be taking your job now.

 

[jtveg]

Than make it clear for owners that buy cars that this not a driveless car and not like Google drivless cars but drive aid only.

Make the owner read it and sign it before buying it.

Every time a car turns on click yes to the pop up message that this not a driveless car that media is making out to be.

But a drive aid only and not a drivless car.

People are buying into the media hype that these are futuristic driveless cars.

And robots and drivless cars are taking your jobs in less than 5 years or 10 years tops. Thanks to the media.

Signing an agreement on purchase is a good idea, I'm not sure about an on-screen prompt when engaging autopilot though. The fewer distractions when driving the better. Perhaps an audible reminder?

PS. It should be "Then make it clear" not "Than".

 

[jtveg]

The argument could also made that "the average person", shouldn't piss away $150,000 on a car he or she doesn't know how to operate

"li listened to Musk's hype, and it caused me to crash my new toy" ! How pathetic is that?

The other makers are forthright about what their automated driving assist systems wil do. For instance, keep you car in the center of the lane. But again, how pathetic do you need to be to need that? Put your f***ing phone down, and pay attention. That's really all that's necessary.

The more of these "add on safety features" you put on today's cars, the more it seems you're trying to excuse the mediocrity of today's millennial generation of inattentive, incompetent, and under trained drivers, period.

Those lazy crazy millenials with their facybook and their twittergram, their faces constantly buried in their phones, constantly whining about their hurt feelings and wanting their "safe spaces" so they can Tumblr to their hearts content. What is this world coming to?

This isn't my opinion, I must've Reddit somewhere.