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Has Tesla already saved lives? Autopilot

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number12

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Aug 16, 2016
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I believe texting and driving / distracted driving is an epidemic. Look around next time driving or especially at red lights. Old young and everyone in between is doing it.

I know there are some holier than thou types on here that have never looked at their phone, but I think Tesla’s secondary mission should be saving lives (after saving planet).

Has Tesla saved more lives already than potential has endangered with Beta Autopilot?
 
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It's interesting that you posed the question with a reference to distractions from looking at phones while driving. This is not so much an issue with my Model S, but when I drove a neighbor's Model 3 I noticed that I was taking my eyes off the road to do routine things that had to go through the touchscreen. From changing radio stations to putting on windshield wipers, etc., it's all a distraction in the model 3.

In a normal drive, I think I'd be more distracted by the Model 3's interface than by anything I've ever done with my phone in another car. So if you are asking does autopilot outweigh the dangers of all distractions, including Tesla's own interface, my guess is that it's a tossup at best, and impossible to know in reality.

For my Model S, the more traditional controls plus the various driver assistance features, when used properly, definitely make driving safer.
 
It's interesting that you posed the question with a reference to distractions from looking at phones while driving. This is not so much an issue with my Model S, but when I drove a neighbor's Model 3 I noticed that I was taking my eyes off the road to do routine things that had to go through the touchscreen. From changing radio stations to putting on windshield wipers, etc., it's all a distraction in the model 3.

In a normal drive, I think I'd be more distracted by the Model 3's interface than by anything I've ever done with my phone in another car. So if you are asking does autopilot outweigh the dangers of all distractions, including Tesla's own interface, my guess is that it's a tossup at best, and impossible to know in reality.

For my Model S, the more traditional controls plus the various driver assistance features, when used properly, definitely make driving safer.

Agree. In the short term HUD could solve much of that distraction with very little hardware.
 
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I believe texting and driving / distracted driving is an epidemic. Look around next time driving or especially at red lights. Old young and everyone in between is doing it.

I know there are some holier than thou types on here that have never looked at their phone, but I think Tesla’s secondary mission should be saving lives (after saving planet).

Has Tesla saved more lives already than potential has endangered with Beta Autopilot?

The solution is to stop distracted driving, not provide tools to encourage it.
 
From changing radio stations to putting on windshield wipers, etc., it's all a distraction in the model 3.

In a normal drive, I think I'd be more distracted by the Model 3's interface than by anything I've ever done with my phone in another car.

No, it's not. Really really not. The Windshield wipers thing is a myth. 80% of the time the automatic work just fine. Another 15% of the time you just push the stalk once or twice. For the remaining 5% of the time, pushing the stalk changes the UI FOR you - you don't have to swipe like they make it seem in the movies - it's right there.

When you actually own a Model 3 these things are SO not a problem - in no way is it more distracting than a Model S or any other car.

Also see:
It's a good thing TMC does not design cars
 
The solution is to stop distracted driving, not provide tools to encourage it.

There is no question that Level 2 semi-autonomous driving solutions give people an excuse to text, or to drive while distracted. It might not for all people, but a significant percentage of them.

So I definitely agree that AP is an encourager.

But, have we really saved lives disencouraging it?

Recently there have been a lot of laws passed to discourage txting while driving, but the results haven't been as expected. Instead of curbing the behavior it simply caused people to do so more stealthy. That's just how addicted people are.

One of the things I greatly dislike is the ban on txting while at a stoplight. Sure it's really annoying to be behind some dude that doesn't leave on the green because he's txting, but it's much better than him txt'ing while at speed.

I think we have to admit defeat, and to rapidly develop the technologies that are necessary for people to be the cyborgs they apparently want to be.

Pretty much every Scifi movie got our ending wrong.

Wall-E is really the only one that got it right.
 
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Not too long ago, I found myself alone, returning from a day trip that turned out to be way longer than I had expected. Logistically, there was no way to stop for the night, so I had to press on and arrive home a few hours later than the midnight arrival I had planned. Those last three hours were endless, as I struggled to stay awake, playing loud music with the air conditioner set on "arctic." Yes, this is not an ideal way to drive but many of us of have unexpectedly found ourselves in a similar situation. In this case, however, I think having autopilot as a second set of eyes made that unfortunate situation far safer than it would have been. All in all, I would have rather been home in bed, but I'm thankful that AP was there with me to get me through those last few hours.

As for stop and go traffic, an accident at that speed would not likely kill, but stop and go traffic is ripe for rear ending someone, even if a driver isn't intentionally distracting himself. AP in such traffic significantly reduces stress (which ultimately saves lives for commuters who deal with traffic stress on a daily basis for hours at a time).

So between sudden, acute fatal accidents that would not occur and the reduction of a huge source of chronic stress, I truly think AP saves lives now.
 
For the remaining 5% of the time, pushing the stalk changes the UI FOR you - you don't have to swipe like they make it seem in the movies - it's right there.

I disagree about the wipers. My experience was that last 5% was when it REALLY starts coming down suddenly, so I couldn’t see the road as I tried to quickly stab at the tiny III icon whilst pushing the stalk to attempt to clear the windshield.

Fun times. Would have loved a simple twist capability to do it all without looking like my S.
 
The solution is to stop distracted driving, not provide tools to encourage it.

This implies it’s a binary decision with a singular solution. Unfortunately, reality has already chosen it’s path; people are always going to find new and different ways to multitask [and thus be distracted]. You can’t put the genie back in the bottle, as it were. You can’t not address makin distracted driving safer.

It’s analagois to the fool’s errand of teaching abstinence. What those who find themselves in the most inevitable of inevitabilities really need is a clear understanding of the consequences and the tools to minimize those consequences. What they don’t need is a concerted effort
 
This implies it’s a binary decision with a singular solution. Unfortunately, reality has already chosen it’s path; people are always going to find new and different ways to multitask [and thus be distracted]. You can’t put the genie back in the bottle, as it were. You can’t not address makin distracted driving safer.

It’s analagois to the fool’s errand of teaching abstinence. What those who find themselves in the most inevitable of inevitabilities really need is a clear understanding of the consequences and the tools to minimize those consequences. What they don’t need is a concerted effort

Real easy. If you text and drive you do not drive again for a very long time.
 
I hate to admit it, but I'm a bad driver. Easily distracted. I purchased a CPO model S for wife. Will be interesting how it affects my driving on freeways. Will it make it safer for me or more dangerous? I'm hoping safer as long as I monitor, but not sure how often I will monitor. Constantly monitoring on a long boring stretch of straight freeway seems difficult.

If you are wondering about my driving record it is remarkably clean , owing to riding bicycle to work everyday, rain or shine.
 
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From what I understand, new software for the 3 is being developed to move the more common adjustments from the center screen to the stalks and steering wheel roller buttons. Should help with this a lot.

Until then, drivers should place the driving function as primary and cell phones and entertainment as secondary.

Treat your vehicle and cell phone more like a tool than a toy.
 
That's what drunk drivers once said. Maybe after one of your family is killed by a texting/distracted driver your mind will change.

It’s easy to be scared of the future while you’re lamenting the past. Unfortunately, those unwilling to accept the trends in progress and change (social, technological, political, etc) always end up on the wrong side of history.

As with any complex problem, distracted driving must be adressed with a more rational approach than your head-in-the-sand perspective.
 
It’s easy to be scared of the future while you’re lamenting the past. Unfortunately, those unwilling to accept the trends in progress and change (social, technological, political, etc) always end up on the wrong side of history.

As with any complex problem, distracted driving must be adressed with a more rational approach than your head-in-the-sand perspective.

Soon society will not longer view distracted driving as acceptable. It took some time for this to happen with drunk driving but it will happen. For those who must, there will be ride sharing services and some day full autonomous driving.
 
I know autopilot certainly reduces my desire to murder those who cut me off, or don't know what cruise control is...

so... yea, it's probably saved a few lives already...

autopilot-on-urge-to-kill-fading-fading.jpg
 
I hate to admit it, but I'm a bad driver. Easily distracted...
I have to commend you as the first human in history to admit this.

How does it feel to be the only one on earth who isn’t a perfect driver who never make mistakes and always does the right thing at the exact right moment no matter the circumstances?

I, on the other hand, like everybody else, am not a bad driver. I’m also an expert in pretty much everything else. Just ask my wife how amazing and infallible I am.
 
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I have to commend you as the first human in history to admit this.

How does it feel to be the only one on earth who isn’t a perfect driver who never make mistakes and always does the right thing at the exact right moment no matter the circumstances?

I, on the other hand, like everybody else, am not a bad driver. I’m also an expert in pretty much everything else. Just ask my wife how amazing and infallible I am.


You too.....