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Another AutoPilot Easter Egg NOT!!!!
- Thread starter boonedocks
- Start date
Actually, I'm not sure I agree with that. We do know that under that the Tesla in the Florida fatal crash (hit the 18-wheeler crossing the highway) was speeding. That highway was a divided, but NOT limited access highway. Under the new rules, the autopilot would not have been able to be "on" and speeding but rather would have been limited to the speed limit. Tesla has told us that the car did not detect the truck trailer due to lack of contrast against the sky. It is possible that: (a) upgrades to the software have better conflicting target recognition algorithms that would have detected the trailer and (b) that the new speed limitation would provide enough time for the autopilot to safely bring the car to a stop in time.
My personal opinion (and I have no proof) is that the new speed limitation on non-divided and/or non-limited access roads is at least partially in response to that crash. While the speed limitation does not impact the autopilot sensor suite's ability to have detected the conflicting traffic, the speed limitation does provide increased time to react to the conflicting traffic because the closure rate is reduced.
We also have anecdotal information (again, not confirmed because we have no release notes) that the cars may be slowing down if they detect a stopped vehicle in an adjoining lane. If this is intended new behavior for the AP in the latest software, again that is indicative the change was made to have the car automatically reduce speed when an off-center stopped vehicle is detected to reduce closure rate and create time for the system and/or the driver to react.
We can't say for sure that the changes pushed to date would have prevented the crash(es) because we don't know what changes were made, but it is also not correct to say that the changes would NOT have prevented the crash (or to use your words "stopped any accidents that we know of").
Just my 2 cents' worth.
Autopilot did not even attempt to stop in that case, and the car hit the trailer at the weakest part, the A pillar. The car could have been going 20 mph slower, and it still would have sheared the top off the car.
That's correct, but to say that the new software which has since been issued would not have prevented it is a fallacy. If the new software is doing what we think it is doing, at a minimum the autopilot would have limited the car's speed to the speed limit. If they have also changed the processing for image detection, the new software might have prevented the accident. I am not saying it would have, what I am saying is that your statement that the new software and AP limitations would NOT have prevented the accident is an opinion stated as fact because you don't know (and neither does anyone outside of Tesla since no one outside of the company knows what changes were made in the latest AP software release).
davidc18
Active Member
The fact that AP 1.0 with fw 7.0 or 7.1 is a simple and "dumb" system makes its use very safe by way of being very predictable. The key to both its usefulness and safety was missed by tesla. The owners needed training to understand how simple the system reaaly is. Tesla completely blew it here. They way over promised what was really happening. Calling it "autopilot" is to me grossly negligent.
It has been said many times that the "system" is just advanced cruise control with simple lane keeping. You must be in control at all times!
Instead tesla is layering all sorts of arbitrary restrictions on the system which is just adding to the confusion over what is happening with the vehicle. The more control that is taken from the driver, the more the driver will expect the car to do the correct action.
My personal experience with AP 1.0 and fw 7.0/7.1 is around 35,000 miles between the two cars.
It has been said many times that the "system" is just advanced cruise control with simple lane keeping. You must be in control at all times!
Instead tesla is layering all sorts of arbitrary restrictions on the system which is just adding to the confusion over what is happening with the vehicle. The more control that is taken from the driver, the more the driver will expect the car to do the correct action.
My personal experience with AP 1.0 and fw 7.0/7.1 is around 35,000 miles between the two cars.
Lex
Member
Anyone who has had any experience with planes or even flight simulators should disagree that the term "Autopilot" is wrong, it's quite dumb and blind, beyond chasing the targets. There is never any assumption that the pilot can check out. So I disagree strongly here.
BUT I agree that there needs to be all emphasis on it being DRIVER ASSISTANCE and not self-driving. I just drove a Cadillac XTS loaner and its cruise control seemed more than happy to ram me into the car ahead of me if I let it. I just don't understand how ANYONE behind the wheel can think that they are not ENTIRELY RESPONSIBLE even with Autopilot active. Unless the Autopilot does something "wrong" to try and cause an accident, how can it be responsible ?
Anyway I'm so relieved to have this terrible restriction reverted. Was starting to believe the secret NHTSA stuff
As for the whole "divided streets" thing it doesn't even really apply to most of my driving, as the major city streets all around Toronto typically have center turning lanes, and some are even 3 lanes across on each side.. certainly not the narrow 1 lane in each direction winding road that seems to be on their mind when they put in the "do the speed limit" rule in the first place. (Meanwhile I end up driving manually much of the time to avoid the sunken sewers and potholes etc...)
As for the "slow down" routines, I didn't have my AP working until today so I have not been able to experience this yet, but am not sure I disagree with it -- if AP is having a near-total freakout why not have it slow down ? You can always take over. The example of rushing up in an open lane, where ajacent lane(s) in the same direction are slow or stopped, is very valid, esp. on undivided roads where someone turning from the opposite direction might surprise you as the other cars in the same direction will open up and let them through -- It's a scary scenario when I'm driving manually, in fact it happened a few weeks ago I'm sure AP would have not had time to react -- I had to immediately tuck into the same strip mall driveway or it would have been a collision. Whew.
BUT I agree that there needs to be all emphasis on it being DRIVER ASSISTANCE and not self-driving. I just drove a Cadillac XTS loaner and its cruise control seemed more than happy to ram me into the car ahead of me if I let it. I just don't understand how ANYONE behind the wheel can think that they are not ENTIRELY RESPONSIBLE even with Autopilot active. Unless the Autopilot does something "wrong" to try and cause an accident, how can it be responsible ?
Anyway I'm so relieved to have this terrible restriction reverted. Was starting to believe the secret NHTSA stuff
As for the whole "divided streets" thing it doesn't even really apply to most of my driving, as the major city streets all around Toronto typically have center turning lanes, and some are even 3 lanes across on each side.. certainly not the narrow 1 lane in each direction winding road that seems to be on their mind when they put in the "do the speed limit" rule in the first place. (Meanwhile I end up driving manually much of the time to avoid the sunken sewers and potholes etc...)
As for the "slow down" routines, I didn't have my AP working until today so I have not been able to experience this yet, but am not sure I disagree with it -- if AP is having a near-total freakout why not have it slow down ? You can always take over. The example of rushing up in an open lane, where ajacent lane(s) in the same direction are slow or stopped, is very valid, esp. on undivided roads where someone turning from the opposite direction might surprise you as the other cars in the same direction will open up and let them through -- It's a scary scenario when I'm driving manually, in fact it happened a few weeks ago I'm sure AP would have not had time to react -- I had to immediately tuck into the same strip mall driveway or it would have been a collision. Whew.
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