Two reports of Teslas on AP hitting stopped vehicles in their lane on the freeway
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Its almost as if you need to pay attention when using autopilot! Maybe Tesla should inform their customers of this.
I hadn't read about that one in Russia. Being in Russia, there don't seem to be a lot of details about the actual incident or the state of the firmware on the car - not sure if Tesla updates cars that are exported to markets they don't officially serve?
So, a known limitation of automation is the lack of automation in such not-so-unusual scenarios.
I nearly rear ended a stopped truck on the DC beltway while driving another vehicle. They were doing long term construction and had dump trucks lined up in the right hand driving lane at night. I saw the trucks but thought they were just moving slow, like 45. I looked over my shoulder to check the blind spot and when I looked back I barely had time to change lanes. Had there been a car in the next lane I would be dead.
Who stops dead on a major highway???
Would the Tesla have stopped for that? The alarm sounds when I don't slow as quickly behind traffic as the car thinks I should. Does it not see stopped vehicles at all? It would seem not according to the reports. So how can they ever expect to have fully autonomous cars? They work great, but tend to crash into stationary objects.
The Pitt maneuver does not push with the front of the car. The push is sideways against the rear quarter panel making the car go sideways and spin out. So it would involve the police car front fender, not the bumper.
On a police car their front bumper/pig pusher normally wraps around the sides and is what is used for a pit maneuver. (They don't want to damage their car in the process.)
From the Tarrytown Daily Voice 12/08/2019 5:14 PM
[If Tesla can determine if autopilot was really engaged, will they share that information? Or was the driver just looking for an excuse?]
State Police Cruiser Rear-Ended By Tesla On 'Autopilot' On I-95
A look at the crash scene on I-95. Photo Credit: Connecticut State Police
A state patrol cruiser was among two vehicles hit by a Tesla driving in autopilot on a busy stretch of Interstate 95 in Fairfield County.
It happened on Saturday morning, Dec. 7 on the northbound side near Exit 15 in Norwalk, Connecticut State Police said.
Two police cars responded to a disabled vehicle in the left-center lane when the incident occurred. The troopers activated their emergency lights and set up a flare pattern behind the cruisers while waiting for a tow truck for the disabled vehicle.
The Tesla, a 2018 Tesla Model 3, hit the disabled vehicle and striking the rear of one of the cruisers, police said.
There were no injuries.
The unidentified man operating the Tesla Tesla said he was on autopilot while checking his dog in the backseat at the time of the crash, police said. The man was charged with reckless driving and reckless endangerment.
“This crash could’ve been avoided," U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) said. "While autonomous vehicles are an exciting development, the tech is simply not ready to be deployed safely. Congress must act to protect the public from these vehicles until their safety can be assured.”
[If Tesla can determine if autopilot was really engaged, will they share that information? Or was the driver just looking for an excuse?]
State Police Cruiser Rear-Ended By Tesla On 'Autopilot' On I-95
A look at the crash scene on I-95. Photo Credit: Connecticut State Police
A state patrol cruiser was among two vehicles hit by a Tesla driving in autopilot on a busy stretch of Interstate 95 in Fairfield County.
It happened on Saturday morning, Dec. 7 on the northbound side near Exit 15 in Norwalk, Connecticut State Police said.
Two police cars responded to a disabled vehicle in the left-center lane when the incident occurred. The troopers activated their emergency lights and set up a flare pattern behind the cruisers while waiting for a tow truck for the disabled vehicle.
The Tesla, a 2018 Tesla Model 3, hit the disabled vehicle and striking the rear of one of the cruisers, police said.
There were no injuries.
The unidentified man operating the Tesla Tesla said he was on autopilot while checking his dog in the backseat at the time of the crash, police said. The man was charged with reckless driving and reckless endangerment.
“This crash could’ve been avoided," U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) said. "While autonomous vehicles are an exciting development, the tech is simply not ready to be deployed safely. Congress must act to protect the public from these vehicles until their safety can be assured.”
I am highly skeptical that autopilot was engaged on this Model 3 at the time of the crash.
Tesla may have the data on their server.
Tesla may have the data on their server.
I very much doubt this is true. Coming up on stopped traffic is a known issue with every manufacturers’ Adaptive cruise systems because they’re designed to ignore most stationary objects they detect. You need to exercise due caution when using any system as of now. I had a couple incidents on my Volt where I had to manually slow down while on adaptive cruise while approaching stopped vehicles.
And there it is. Do not put your life in the hands of any of these systems. Until manufacturers improve the systems to the point where they’re confident enough to take on liability while the system controls the car, you absolutely should always be monitoring and ready to take over no matter what system you’re using.
MrMassTransit
Supporting Member
Just my two cents as a (private) pilot: the name is completely accurate to what it does. In an aircraft, one can set the autopilot to various modes - keep the wings level, maintain a certain altitude, fly a certain heading, a certain speed (if auto throttle equipped), etc. Even with the auto pilot operating, the pilot needs to be monitor the situation and be ready to intervene at all times. If air traffic control issues a direction, if one needs to maneuver around other traffic, if there's an abnormal event, etc, the pilot needs to be ready to take control.
I realize that the average driver does not have experience using an aircraft autopilot. But everyone has a basic understanding of what an autopilot is (hence why Tesla uses the term) and I don't think anyone believes that once the autopilot is set the pilots take a nap, decide to read a book or watch a movie, or otherwise distract themselves in a way that would prevent them from monitoring the airplane.
I'm not sure why people hear the term autopilot and assume they can do things that they'd never be comfortable with a pilot on a commercial flight doing, even with the plane on autopilot (in a single-pilot scenario).
I completely understand... I am a pilot myself!
I do have to add though, as you know, we have been trained in the operation of the craft and must hold a rating in such type of craft to legally fly it. Should there be training for driving assist vehicles?
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CharleyBC
Active Member
AP might well have been engaged. Meanwhile, driver was disengaged, attending to dog, contrary to Tesla’s instructions for use of the feature. It’s well known that AP isn’t good at responding to things that are at a complete stop. If the story is accurate (some doubt, given the quality of the writing), this sounds like the driver was at fault as charged.
does blumenthol really believe that the guy would have paid more attention without autopilot enabled? People who are gonna checkout while driving are gonna check out..
You’re kidding yourself if you think everyone who uses autopilot is paying as close attention as they would if driving normally.
I drove past this accident, it was on my way home from work. It was an all white Tesla m3 and it was completely destroyed. Every air bag deployed and the frunk hood was off
Seems like another duplicate thread. We already have several threads on this like Two reports of Teslas on AP hitting stopped vehicles in their lane on the freeway.
That is odd. Would love to hear the real story when the data are retrieved from Tesla. Hope they release some type of announcement if AP was not engaged and the driver thought it was.
Kilotango74
Active Member
Dosent really matter. All he need is events like this portrayed in the correct light to get some type of legislation banning autonomous systems in cars. Next thing you know we get an update that hobbles Autopilot until it is “proven” safe.
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