This is not correct. Tesla (and the NHTSA) followed essentially none of CR's advice, at least not to CR's satisfaction:
- CR insisted that Autopilot be disabled. Tesla said no.
- CR insisted on time-consuming and cumbersome "expert, independent third-party testing and certification" before self-driving features would be allowed on the road. Not followed.
- CR objected and continues to object to any release of "beta" features. Rejected.
- CR objected and continues to object to the use of the name "Autopilot." Tesla said no.
Tesla's Autopilot: Too Much Autonomy Too Soon
And even though Tesla added nags (most likely to placate the regulators, not CR), Consumer Reports is still complaining and insisting that the nags must be more frequent (how many owners think that's a good idea??).
And most problematically, instead of encouraging use of this safety feature, CR still has a "black box" warning consumers that it "still has real concerns" regarding Autopilot because of these issues:
"Someone can drive hands-free for about a minute and even longer on highways. The system still is called Autopilot. It also remains a beta release, a term used in the technology world when essentially unfinished software is rolled out to the public."
Tesla’s New Autopilot: Better But Still Needs Improvement
So we will have to agree to disagree. I do not think CR has played a constructive role in this process. Quite the opposite. Instead of calmly educating the public and working in the interests of consumers, it has helped whip up a media frenzy with unscientific fearmongering about self-driving technology. And if it had its way, CR would have put up roadblocks to adoption of technology that already is reducing accidents and has the potential to save many lives.
Thankfully, Tesla and the NHTSA ignored most of CR's recommendations, and kept Autopilot in the hands of consumers, who can continue to enjoy its convenience and safety benefits.