Tesla Rebuffs Consumer Reports’ Critique of AutoPilot Features in Wake of Accidents

Washington, July 1, 2016 (AFP) -It could be a wakeup call for the self-driving vehicle movement. “On June 30, Tesla published a blog post about the accident, stating ‘neither autopilot nor the driver noticed the white side of the tractor trailer against a brightly lit sky, so the brake was not applied'”.

Thune wrote that he was interested in hearing about Tesla’s efforts to ensure its technology is “deployed safely”.

Consumer Reports has cited the “handoff problem” in its argument that the technology is not ready for public use, as it takes time for people to reengage in tasks as sophisticated as driving after disengaging for a period.

Following this, Park Gallery owner Albert Scaglione also met an accident while driving his Tesla Model X. Another driver named Pang was also in a crash this month while speeding through a highway with the Autopilot engaged.

American magazine, Consumer Reports, has urged Tesla Motors to immediately disable its automatic steering function following Tesla autopilot crash in cars. According to USA Today, the National Transportation Safety Board and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has already launched investigations into the crash of 40-year-old OH resident Joshua Brown.

Consumer Reports also wanted the Autopilot feature name changed to avoid giving a false sense of security about the car’s ability to drive itself.

In its report, the American magazine listed out four demands to the California-based Tesla Motors. “The driver is still responsible for, and ultimately in control of, the auto”. This crash has also been under NHTSA investigation to see if the Autopilot system was operational during the crash.

Consumer Reports believes Autopilot could eventually make the roads safer, but for now, they call the technology “unproven”.

Two recent accidents, one fatal, have involved drivers using Autopilot, though specifics of how much the drivers were involved in piloting the cars at the time were not available. “While we appreciate well-meaning advice from any individual or group, we make our decisions on the basis of real-world data, not speculation by media” Tesla said in a statement on Thursday. Consumer Reports asked Tesla to change the name of the program, which Tesla says is still in public beta testing.

The latest development puts Tesla Motors under more scrutiny as the NHTSA has been investigating the vehicle crash. Since early Tesla buyers are more likely to be enthusiasts wanting to try out all of their expensive new car’s features, they are more likely to take their hands off the wheel to try out the system, and take their eyes off the road to prove their shiny new machine works perfectly, MacCleery opined.