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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 DutchUncle on Friday July 01 2016, @05:24PM
Most intersections do NOT have traffic lights or stop signs in rural areas. Many places where a truck would be turning off a road into a factory or warehouse lot would also not have traffic lights.
OTOH should the truck have turned left at that time? Not if the truck driver saw the car approaching, but if there was a curve or hill shortening distance of view, or if the car was speeding (suggested by the distance traveled after the collision), then the truck driver's judgement would have been incomplete.
OTOOH would an attentive driver have seen a white truck against a bright sky, in time to hit the brakes? Again, distance of view matters a lot. And a driver might have noticed the tractor and not been as sure of the trailer, but still slowed down just in case.
I have seen white and grey trailers that would blend with a cloudy sky; one would think that reflective strips all along the length of a truck (if there is no other bright logo) would not be an impairment of aerodynamic efficiency. A very minor change for a big improvement in visibility.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by frojack on Friday July 01 2016, @05:38PM
Reflective material all along the trailer is already the law in the US, But that only works if your headlights are on and bright enough to over power a setting sun in your eyes.
This was a 4 lane divided highway. These are seldom built with at-grade "unprotected crossings" in the US. (Where unprotected means no lights or stop signs). You will occasionally see them as temporary work-site access, with plenty of warnings about crossing trucks etc.
If the divide highway had stop signs for a truck crossing that's a design flaw, but very occasionally you find such.
If the truck crossing didn't have stop signs that's a design flaw.
If the truck failed to stop that's a moving violation.
If the truck pulled out in front of oncoming traffic, that's a moving violation. (A 12 point violation usually).
UNLESS there was some form of stop sign/signal for the divided highway, this accident was probably caused by the truck driver.
Autopilot and car driver inattention and setting sun were merely contributory, not causal.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.