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Two Soylentils wrote in with news of a fatal accident involving a Tesla vehicle. Please note that the feature in use, called "Autopilot" is not the same as an autonomous vehicle. It provides lane-keeping, cruise control, and safe-distance monitoring, but the driver is expected to be alert and in control at all times. -Ed.
Man Killed in Crash of 'Self-Driving' Car
Tech Insider reports that an Ohio man was killed on 7 May when his Tesla Model S, with its autopilot feature turned on, went under a tractor-trailer.
Further information:
- Tesla Motors blog
- NHTSA report
- video uploaded by the victim, demonstrating use of the autopilot feature
Tesla Autopilot - Fatal Accident
Accident is reported to have happened in May, and reported to NHTSA/DOT immediately by Tesla. But not public until the end of June -- something a bit fishy about this reporting lag.
On the other hand, the accident is described as one that might have also been difficult for an alert human to have avoided:
The May crash occurred when a tractor trailer drove across a divided highway, where a Tesla in autopilot mode was driving. The Model S passed under the tractor trailer, and the bottom of the trailer hit the Tesla vehicle's windshield.
"Neither Autopilot nor the driver noticed the white side of the tractor trailer against a brightly lit sky, so the brake was not applied," Tesla wrote.
This was the first reporting found--by the time it makes the SN front page there may be more details. Because this is a "first" it seems likely that a detailed investigation and accident reconstruction will be performed.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Friday July 01 2016, @02:09AM
Eventually the Feds are going to step in and call for regulation.
Agreed. Auto pilot is not self driving, but its temptingly close enough to cause drivers to get careless.
It probably shouldn't be offered.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by black6host on Friday July 01 2016, @02:35AM
In the driver's video, in bumper to bumper traffic he states that although it's a slower drive at least he doesn't have to worry about anything. "You just let it go." I think it's quite possible if someone has spent a fair amount of time using autopilot that it would be easy to start taking things for granted.
I have no way of knowing if the driver was complacent or acutely alert when the accident happened. From his comments in the video I doubt he was acutely alert.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Immerman on Friday July 01 2016, @03:16AM
Agreed. In fact it would be extremely difficult to maintain attention on the road for an extended period without any need to react to it. There's a name for such inactive attention: meditation. And most people find it quite unpleasant without a lot of practice.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 01 2016, @08:20AM
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 01 2016, @03:18PM
exactly: very unpleasant without practice.