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Self-Driving Tesla Owners Share Videos of Reckless Driving (nytimes.com)
An anonymous reader writes: The driver killed in a Tesla car accident "celebrated the Autopilot feature that made it possible for him to cruise the highways, making YouTube videos of himself driving hands-free," reports the New York Times, adding that one of his videos of a near-miss went viral just 11 weeks before his death -- after it was shared on Twitter by Elon Musk. But USA Today reports that Tesla drivers have also filmed themselves playing Jenga and Checkers or sleeping while using the autopilot feature. "Even though Tesla tells drivers to 'keep your hands on the wheel at all times and stay alert,' the temptation to test a no-hands drive is just too much."
In April, a Volvo driver had criticized Tesla for releasing a dangerous "wannabe" Autopilot system. But when Tesla introduced the self-driving feature in October, Elon Musk argued that "Long term, it'll be way better than a person. It never gets tired, never has something to drink, never argues with someone in the car." He had also said that within three years Tesla cars should be able to drive a sleeping driver in to work -- but that that functionality is not currently supported.
In April, a Volvo driver had criticized Tesla for releasing a dangerous "wannabe" Autopilot system. But when Tesla introduced the self-driving feature in October, Elon Musk argued that "Long term, it'll be way better than a person. It never gets tired, never has something to drink, never argues with someone in the car." He had also said that within three years Tesla cars should be able to drive a sleeping driver in to work -- but that that functionality is not currently supported.
Assholes don't know they're assholes. Film at 11. Brought to you by frosty piss!
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
We should make our public transportation better, then we can all just sleep on that on the way to work.
I take the train every day to go to the office, and people often sleep in it. What you describe never happens. the vast majority of people are honest and don't steal from other people. Especially the kind of persons that takes the train at 7:30 in the morning. And even if a thief wanted to steal someone's shoes, many other honest people are in the train watching and prevent the thief from even trying. The train is way better than a car: it goes faster; I can read, sleep, or work; I have a power outlet for my laptop; the journey is much less painful for my back; there is no traffic jam, and it's way cheaper than the car.
How is this autopilot legal? It sounds like one of the most dangerous devices created, inviting distracted driving.
Cell phones are banned in many states for causing distracted driving, how is this not treated the same?
> How is this autopilot legal?
Because no one has banned it yet. But honestly, I have no idea. My guess is that it is mostly rich people, and they are few in numbers. There's also the "sense of inevitability" that they have pressed hard for with articles and such.
And it is true- eventually this sort of thing will be something that will be everywhere and it will be good.
But lets go over some situations that will probably occur on this long journey:
1- People will probably find that there's some situations in which a self driving car will react amusingly. They'll then create these situations for self driving cars around them. Some accidents will probably result from this, and while I would suspect the offenders will be arrested most of the time, who knows.
2- The self driving feature will do something dumb, and the person will be injured. If the only person injured is the driver and passengers, there's the sense of "you pressed the button to turn on the autodrive, you takes your chances". But let one of these things drive into some kid wearing an outfit that is low contrast, especially in some condition that makes it hard for the sensors to figure out what is going on, and I think you see where this is going.
3- The manufacturers of the self driving cars will eventually have to lobby the federal government to enforce whole new standards for ALL streets. Its the only way to be safe, after all. If they don't do this, then there will be classes of roads that the autodrive can't work on, and that would make for bad marketing.
It is truly surprising that we have laws against texting or calling while driving (in some cases), or drinking while driving. All of these are vastly VASTLY less dangerous than allowing the *current* Tesla autodrive to drive the car essentially unattended.
Anyway, probably what will happen is this- Tesla will continue to improve their autodrive, and will continue to be shielded by handing liability to the driver. Eventually there will be enough data (do you want to be their data? ehhh?) to improve it substantially, and others working in the field will also continue to do this. Long term, this will be safe. No idea what long term is here though.
The answer to your question REALLY is- it is NOT legal. Not to allow the car to drive itself without your hands on the wheel. But it is still surprising that a system that encourages this every way it can is totes fine.
Bug Report #764392 : AutoDarwin feature working as intended. Closed.
Remember when I said that? Remember when I got mocked for saying that? Are you going to remember I said that when it turns out I'm right? Of course you won't.
..and YES, I AM RANTING. It's about all I can do about any of this, apparently.
..but I'll say it again, now, anyway: Too much automation will make people dumber, less skilled, and lazier overall. Some of them are practically chomping at the bit for the opportunity to become lazier and stupider. Should we just call this Evolution in Action? Or should we do something to save people from themselves? Oh, wait, it's not just the stupid and lazy that will get themselves killed, now, is it? They'll get someone else killed right along with them, won't they?
Screw you people and your gods-be-damned 'self driving' cars. I don't even CARE that this instance wasn't even an actual 'self-driving car', it's foreshadowing of the future of the whole stupid subject, and I'll have the privilege (said with seriously sarcastic overtones) of living through the whole gods-be-damned thing, and it'll be just so fucking much fun the whole time knowing that I Saw It Coming.. along with the rest of the stupid shit that Humans are doing right now in the gods-be-damned world.
Are YOU using the TOOL, or is the TOOL using YOU? Think about it!