Model X Crash on US-101 (Mountain View, CA)

[TEG]

I still think it was suicide considering he knew it had trouble in that area and he let it run into the median.

Personally I doubt that. My guess would be extreme case of distracted driving, and over-dependence on an auto pilot system that couldn't handle those conditions well. The morning commute there can be driving into the sun which makes it hard to see as well. The poor lane markings, and "worse than nothing" compacted crash cushion set the stage for disaster.

 

[DanCar]

... extreme case of distracted driving, ...

extreme case of distracted driving = suicide

 

[Tam]

Guys, we have no clue why Tesla settled. Maybe the family decided to settle for a reasonable dollar amount. Maybe Tesla just didn't want a public trial right now. We just don't know.

Someone does:

Tesla stops deadly self-driving crash lawsuit from trial as Canada bans Level 3 vehicle autonomy​

"It is also smart enough to prevent the inner workings of those systems, and the data it has on them, from spilling out in the open for everyone to pick apart. Instead of allowing a deadly Autopilot crash lawsuit to reach trial stage, Tesla just settled for an undisclosed amount."

"Instead of going to trial on the matter, Tesla preferred to settle with the relatives and avoid opening statements and cross-examinations, which could serve as a precedent in other such trials, or for regulatory bodies that are investigating such incidents."

 

[Cosmacelf]

Someone does:

Tesla stops deadly self-driving crash lawsuit from trial as Canada bans Level 3 vehicle autonomy​

"It is also smart enough to prevent the inner workings of those systems, and the data it has on them, from spilling out in the open for everyone to pick apart. Instead of allowing a deadly Autopilot crash lawsuit to reach trial stage, Tesla just settled for an undisclosed amount."

"Instead of going to trial on the matter, Tesla preferred to settle with the relatives and avoid opening statements and cross-examinations, which could serve as a precedent in other such trials, or for regulatory bodies that are investigating such incidents."

I see zero sources even hinted at. That reads like guesswork from the "journalist". Just more guesses.

 

[Silicon Desert]

I live near that area and it was a "death trap" of sorts. The crash cushion had still been compacted from when a drunk Prius driver rammed it a couple weeks before the Tesla. The crash cushion company publishes safety data on what happens when someone hits a reset cushion, but not what happens when you hit one that wasn't reset. All the attention from the Tesla mishap led Caltrans to repaint and mark the area much better now, but it still is a dangerous interchange. Like a lot of things, the 85 addition to the 101 Freeway was somewhat of a "tack on" with that somewhat unusual carpool lane left exit which can confuse some drivers, and possibly the autopilot software as well.

Recent:


Before when the "gore area" looked like a lane you could use:
View attachment 1037557

Yea, that sure is an ugly and confusing looking set of lines. I wouldn't confuse it as a lane I could use because of the narrow space and solid white lines, yet new people coming through the area could get confused before figuring out what is going on. Sometimes I wonder who comes up with ideas like this.

 

[miimura]

Left lane exit’s just aren’t that common in Northern California

 

[TEG]

Thread by @TubeTimeUS on Thread Reader App

@TubeTimeUS: this Tesla SUV ran into a traffic barrier at 70mph while on Autopilot. how could this happen? there are 3 major contributing causes, and they're *fascinating* before we dig into the causes, let's set th...…

threadreaderapp.com

 

[Silicon Desert]

Left lane exit’s just aren’t that common in Northern California

YES. In the 40 years I lived there, and had to made a left lane exit, I can probably count them on 1 hand.

 

[jboy210]

Left lane exit’s just aren’t that common in Northern California

Definitely. The only one I do with any regularity is the 880-S to 237 fly-over into the left (car pool) lane on 237.