SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Yes, the phrase used in the headline is a direct quote. Tesla CEO Elon Musk is teasing new details about the company's future, set to be announced later this week. The news may be in reaction to slipping stock prices and troubles with regulators following a recent crash:
While offering no other details, the master plan is likely a follow-up to a 2006 blog post titled "The Secret Tesla Motors Master Plan (just between you and me)," in which Musk laid out his vision for Tesla, including eventual plans for the Tesla Roadster, the Model S sedan and the upcoming (and more affordable) Model 3 sedan.
It may not be a bad idea for Musk to roll out some optimistic news. In recent weeks, the electric car company has become the subject of a federal safety investigation following at least two crashes — one fatal — possibly related to its highly touted autopilot feature; Tesla has announced a drop in Model S shipments; and Musk himself has come under fire after proposing that Tesla purchase SolarCity, which he is also the chairman of, much to the chagrin of shareholders.
[...] Tesla shares are down almost 10% year-to-date, and down more than 16% in the past 12 months.
You may also be interested in this NYT editorial about "Lessons From the Tesla Crash".
(Score: 2, Insightful) by tftp on Tuesday July 12 2016, @05:32AM
because the tech is almost there
The last 10% of any project always consume 90% of the budget.
An automatic car on a road where only automatic cars are allowed? Not a problem. Can be done tomorrow.
An automatic car on a road where any vehicle may appear? No way. Hey, even pretty flexible humans have problem with that - and a computer does not even come closer to a sentient being who, actually, *understands* what is happening.
That truck half a mile ahead? That would have been an obvious observation for a human, and an effortless, light braking - up to a full stop, if need be (a fire truck, an accident, construction, etc.) Even if the driver cannot *clearly* see the obstacle, he will be watching it, and decreasing the speed if necessary - humans are not that bad in detecting deviations from a pattern (such as an empty, straight or curved road.) If a computer does not see an obstacle, it presumes that there is none and barges ahead.
A fully automated self-driving car that can tackle any situation has to be equipped with a decent AI. There is no workaround. You cannot depend on fixed algorithms if you sometimes have to stop and ask the officer who has the road blocked. I have done that.