Beta Testing and You

[scottysize]

Here's something for everyone who uses a beta product on their Tesla to keep in mind:

Autopilot - Beta and has yet to be released
Navigate on AP - Beta and has yet to be released
Summon - Beta and has yet to be released
Smart Summon - Beta and has yet to be released

In order to use any of these products, you had to give consent that you knew you were a beta tester and you knew you were still responsible for your car's actions. So, in fact, you agreed to be a beta tester for Tesla. If you do not like the product, if you are afraid of the product, if you do not think the product should be used, then stop testing it. Because, if you have an accident while using any of those products above, you are at fault. Not Tesla.

Complaining about the beta products not being fully developed, tested, safe, secure, etc. is pointless, as they are beta and are not fully developed, tested, safe, secure, etc.

 

[Shemp]

I think Tesla has to do this... otherwise they could be held liable for anything that happened whether the fault of the system or not. This is the early days of this technology... it is still being developed, refined and error-proofed. I understand that and I'm happy to have Autopilot available... I "beta test" it almost every day.

 

[Kirby64]

That's abdication of responsibility. Regardless of agreeing to 'beta testing' software, if Tesla releases something tomorrow that swerves itself into walls, that's at least primarily Tesla's responsibility.

Just because something is in beta testing doesn't mean that people don't have a right to complain about features being half-baked, useless, or dangerous. I agree that people probably complain too much (and, most people that get into accidents in Tesla's are looking for excuses to their bad behavior), but a lot of folks have very real concerns and have every right to complain.

How long was Gmail in "beta" ? It's just an excuse companies use to say "lalala it's beta, this isn't MY fault".

On the balance, I still use Autopilot and other features daily... but that doesn't mean I have no right to complain when it slams on the brakes unexpectedly.

 

[Shemp]

no doubt users have a right to complain, send feedback, even pursue compensation if some error in the system causes an accident.... however you will do so having signed up to be a "beta tester". Yes, companies absolutely use that to cover themselves when they are releasing/refining unproven technology. What would Teslas be like if nothing was ever released until it is ironclad and bulletproof? They would be a lot like the car you traded in to get your Tesla, probably. We are on the leading edge for a lot of these technologies... if that scares you maybe you bought the wrong car or at least should not have agree to be a "beta tester"

...just my $0.02

 

[boonedocks]

I'm curious if / when Elon's proclamation of "feature complete" comes to fruition if they can claim the $$$$$$$ held up in waiting IF the Feature Complete features still display "beta".

 

[tvad]

...if you have an accident while using any of those products above, you are at fault. Not Tesla.

If someone is injured while using any of the Tesla Beta features, then most likely a court will decide who is at fault.

 

[Tres_Azul]

Wait... So, I can just turn off Autosteer and TACC to get real functional cruise control? Where was that in the updated manual...

 

[focher]

If someone is injured while using any of the Tesla Beta features, then most likely a court will decide who is at fault.

That can’t be true!?!? Are you saying that the legal system still makes such determinations and not people posting on Internet forums?!? That’s outrageous!

 

[DanCar]

... Just because something is in beta testing doesn't mean that people don't have a right to complain about features being half-baked, useless, or dangerous. ...

The more dangerous people perceive it to be, the safer it is. That is why I like the complaints.

 

[DanCar]

If someone is injured while using any of the Tesla Beta features, then most likely a court will decide who is at fault.

What legal footing does a lawsuit have if Tesla is saying it is half baked, dangerous, not ready for prime time, use at your own risk, must be constantly supervised?

 

[huangm777]

How long was Gmail in "beta" ? It's just an excuse companies use to say "lalala it's beta, this isn't MY fault".

This is something I am still pissed at Google for doing: forever corrupting the meaning of the term “beta.” Beta tests traditionally were only done after most major bugs were fixed and only edge cases remained, and was typically limited to a select population of users. You only truly released to the public when it was really version 1. Google initially tried to do this by doing an invitation system, but perhaps unintentionally made those invites gain a ton of cachet. (I should I know, I got my Gmail account in 2004, and people were begging me to give them an invite.) But because they left the beta tag in Gmail up for years, long past when anyone else would have called it version 1, lots of other companies followed suit and people began to think “beta” meant “cheaper and only slightly rougher” version, and started to feel entitled to it as a way to get a product for free.

But that’s for an email program. I would have been far more circumspect in releasing FSD to the wider public, probably not even allowing people to buy them until it was near the end of the beta tests. It seems Tesla has changed strategies a lot and backtracked several times when they realized the software wasn’t really as ready as they thought. It’s a sign that not only they are a young company, but that they operate much more like a software shop than a carmaker. Most carmakers are so cautious that the tech in them feels a decade behind. Tesla still seems to be figuring out that making cars and writing software aren’t quite the same thing.