Unpopular Opinion - I don't want Autopilot/Autonomous vehicles

[doubeld]

How many DUI accidents are there a year? Seems to me that I frequently hear/read that Alcohol is a factor in the majority of accidents, so if I have that right then if all those people were using AP that would be a huge benefit.

I have heard that in some jurisdictions, the majority of accidents are now "distracted driving" related vs. alcohol. Unfortunately, I don't feel that AP helps a lot with the distracted sense, as now people are fiddling with non-feedback LED touchscreens vs. physical buttons (Tesla cars especially).

 

[fallen888]

I think with autonomous, or partially autonomous vehicles, we will get a "dumbing down" of the driving skill of the driving population.

I wonder if people used to say something similar back when horse-drawn carriages were starting to get replaced by automobiles.

 

[WannabeOwner]

non-feedback LED touchscreens vs. physical buttons

I love the clean lines of the Tesla, and that point did bother be before purchase. When my Father taught me to drive he insisted that I should be able to reach & adjust all the controls without taking my eyes off the road, his view was that "In winter, driving on snow or ice, that will be important".

I guess I might have wanted to change the radio, or turn the wipers on (that would have been a dashboard switch in those days, not a steering wheel stalk), setting the blower to demist the windscreen, and then turnign the lights at dusk (assuming Is tarted my journey before dusk), and that would have been about it!

Nowadays, by comparison, there are lots of controls, but I'm not sure that touchscreen vs. physical buttons id the only issue. I would never be able to memorise and find-by-touch an array of buttons like this: !!

Nowadays the lights and wipers come on by themselves, the heating is "set a temperature you like and forget about it", so none of those old things apply Voice control ought to be used for everything else perhaps? Selecting a Radio /channel / Media Source and "Navigate to" ... but also "Turn on fog lights" or "Open roof 23%" would avoid a lot of the need for fiddling with the touch screen.

Assuming that AP is driving the car, and cleaning the windscreen / watching a movie is definitely a growing-pain of AP until we get to fully autonomous. When central locking first came out I could lock all the doors by pressing down the driver's door lock, when that door was open, and then holding the handle up whilst I closed it (otherwise the door unlocked when it was closed). So it became very easy to lock my keys in the car! Now I just walk away from the car, so that problem is solved ... other than forgetting that I have left my keys in the car and the car being unlocked ... and stolen! Growing pains of technology.

 

[Chopr147]

I am interested in the views of those that do not want AP. When I purchased my S AP was a must have and I could not understand why someone would not want it (other than cost) I love driving this car but on I87 here in NY it is straight and boringly tedious, and perfect for AP. AP makes driving roads like I87 so much more relaxing. I drive upstate 2-3 times a month and there is a fun alternative called the Taconic State Parkway. I do NOT use AP on the TSP Anyone who drives that knows what I mean. Curves,hills,mountains , tight lanes etc..... and rarely traffic because I think, many are scared of it. I have tried AP if only to test it out on the TSP and AP is not ready for prime time just yet. I understand the fear of AP but one must use it on a regular basis to really see the genius of it.

 

[theboom1]

I wonder if people used to say something similar back when horse-drawn carriages were starting to get replaced by automobiles.

I wish people would stop bringing up the horse as this is not the same. Humans love and require control. When the car came out you did not lose control. In fact you gained some because you were in control of an object not a living animal that can make its own decisions. Their will be a lot of people who will never want a car that they don't have the option to drive because it make them lose any and all control. Unlike switching from a horse where you gained some and with it greater utility.

 

[cpa]

I am interested in the views of those that do not want AP. When I purchased my S AP was a must have and I could not understand why someone would not want it (other than cost) I love driving this car but on I87 here in NY it is straight and boringly tedious, and perfect for AP. AP makes driving roads like I87 so much more relaxing. I drive upstate 2-3 times a month and there is a fun alternative called the Taconic State Parkway. I do NOT use AP on the TSP Anyone who drives that knows what I mean. Curves,hills,mountains , tight lanes etc..... and rarely traffic because I think, many are scared of it. I have tried AP if only to test it out on the TSP and AP is not ready for prime time just yet. I understand the fear of AP but one must use it on a regular basis to really see the genius of it.

I had written something rather lengthy, but deleted it and replaced it with the following:

In my professional career, software/hardware came to the fore in the late '80s, after I was out of school for almost 15 years. I have zero computer knowledge or training. But I have been exposed to more software/hardware failures with no explanation other than, "well, I really can't tell you what happened, but it is working now." (And after 12 hours of trial-and-error.)

For example my cell phone disconnects from the car for some reason every 6-8 months. It takes me close to 15 minutes to figure out how to reconnect my phone. I reboot my phone--nope. I reboot the touchscreen--nope. I reboot them simultaneously--maybe. This is absurd.

Finally, Tesla is not real good at communications. Software update changes are on the touchscreen, which really provides no assistance when one is driving and trying to figure something out. Getting through to a customer representative on the phone immediately is 50-50. (They do return the calls as soon as they can, however.)

So, no I have no desire for AP. I don't wish to rely upon something that might disconnect or fail (like in the tunnel) for any reason. And Tesla does not have a good track record in correcting software deficiencies in other areas; accordingly I have no reason to think that they would treat AP any differently.

 

[Electric_Blue]

Hang on a sec.

How is the poll a fair question?

Isnt autopilot standard on Model 3?

If it was an option i would definitely not order it. I didnt like it before i even heard about any accidents. Even if it works perfectly how boring and monotonous....

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

I like to drive a fun car on an uncrowned curvy road as well. But realistically that is only 1% of the driving I actually do.

In the real world people drive back and forth to work on crowded roads, or they are on road trips on long, straight, boring highways. Autonomous driving will be a huge benefit and in the long run will dramatically lower the accident and injury rate.

The last part is probably true for most but for me the first part is 90%+ curvy with no traffic! No ap wanted or needed.

 

[doubeld]

Hang on a sec.

How is the poll a fair question?

Isnt autopilot standard on Model 3?

If it was an option i would definitely not order it. I didnt like it before i even heard about any accidents. Even if it works perfectly how boring and monotonous....

Only the safety features are standard. Which is fantastic.
It's the convenience features (autopark, lane keeping, summon, TACC) that cost thousands of dollars.

 

[Chopr147]

Those convenience features are pretty darn good. I use AP more than I ever thought I would. It works better than "advertised"