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Tragic. Good that they own it, though I'm not thrilled with this: It is important to note that Tesla disables Autopilot by default and requires explicit ackno

Tragic. Good that they own it, though I'm not thrilled with this: It is important to note that Tesla disables Autopilot by default and requires explicit acknowledgement that the system is new technology and still in a public beta phase before it can be enabled. When drivers activate Autopilot, the acknowledgment box explains, among other things, that Autopilot “is an assist feature that requires you to keep your hands on the steering wheel at all times," and that "you need to maintain control and responsibility for your vehicle” while using it. Additionally, every time that Autopilot is engaged, the car reminds the driver to “Always keep your hands on the wheel. Be prepared to take over at any time.” The system also makes frequent checks to ensure that the driver's hands remain on the wheel and provides visual and audible alerts if hands-on is not detected. It then gradually slows down the car until hands-on is detected again.

jackpirate 10y ago
This statement is also disengenuous: This is the first known fatality in just over 130 million miles where Autopilot was activated. Among all vehicles in the US, there is a fatality every 94 million miles. Worldwide, there is a fatality approximately every 60 million miles. The wording implies that these numbers are directly comparable, but they are not. I would guess that Autopilot is much more likely to be activated in safe situations. But the other statistics include all situtations.
- BenderV 10y ago
  Yes, and since Tesla explicit ask driver to take over in dangerous situation, the number (fatality/miles) is certainly higher. Still, impressive result by the autopilot. I'm wondering, is there any advanced driving simulation? I'm guessing since they have now lots of data, they could simulate dangerous/extreme situation.
- mozumder 10y ago
  Also, the US fatal accident rate is one death per 108 million miles, which includes motorcycles and teens and drunk people. Not only that, you'd expect drivers in the higher-income demographic of US auto customers to have less fatal accidents. The real comparison should between a model S and cars like the Mercedes S-Class, since this is all about car marketing anyways.
  - gjem97 10y ago
    > Not only that, you'd expect drivers in the higher-income demographic of US auto customers to have less fatal accidents. What? Why?
    - DanBC 10y ago
      newer, safer, well-maintained cars.
    - mozumder 10y ago
      Because they can afford cars with stronger safety features.
      - twinkletwinkle 10y ago
        They can also afford cars with stronger danger features, like turbochargers. They also might be more sheltered from the consequences of their actions and likely to be reckless while driving. Your assumption may even be correct, but I don't think it's obvious.
        mozumder 10y ago
        Rich people are also older, and older people have low accident rates. In the end, the accident rate comparison to the global population is completely wrong.
        ceejayoz 10y ago
        > They can also afford cars with stronger danger features, like turbochargers. Which makes it a better comparison to Teslas, really. http://jalopnik.com/the-tesla-model-s-just-got-upgraded-to-ludicrous-speed-1718577723 http://jalopnik.com/the-tesla-model-s-just-got-upgraded-to-l...
  - mempko 10y ago
    Looks like there are some cars with zero recorded deaths. http://www.cnbc.com/2015/01/29/record-9-models-have-zero-highway-deaths-iihs-says.html http://www.cnbc.com/2015/01/29/record-9-models-have-zero-hig... Telsa isn't one of them...
- twinkletwinkle 10y ago
  Wouldn't it be hilarious if they were being really tacit about something like this? In an exceptional scenario, the autopilot disengages and tells the human user to take over. So maybe the autopilot drives into an untenable situation, disengages, the car crashes and kills the "driver", and then the statistics say "Well, Autopilot drove X miles and it was fine. The crash occurred while under human control..." As they say, it's not the fall that kills you. It's the sudden stop at the end.
  - chillacy 10y ago
    A few weeks ago there was a case where a model S crashed because the human driver tapped the brakes, disengaging autopilot, but the driver did not know, and his car hit another car.
dingo_bat 10y ago
So how would autopilot turn the wheel if the driver is holding it?
- hundchenkatze 10y ago
  I'm guessing that there is not a traditional steering shaft connected to the steering wheel. Instead, opting for a drive by wire system. There's a sensor in the steering wheel that detects user input and then sends a signal to another motor connected to the steering rack which actually turns the wheels. The steering wheel also has a small motor to that accepts input from the steering rack to give feedback to the driver, think "Force Feedback" systems in video game racing wheels. So, Tesla can send steering signals to the steering rack independent of what the driver is doing with the wheel. This system is becoming more common in all vehicles, not just Tesla's cars.
brae 10y ago
This disclaimer also seems odd in the eventual case that an Autopilot accident involves someone in another vehicle being injured or killed. Although I implicitly agree to all sorts of risks when I drive on a public road, I'm still struggling with the idea that I'm agreeing to participate in a beta test for an automated driving system. Being a software engineer just makes the idea more terrifying!

jackpirate 10y ago

This statement is also disengenuous: This is the first known fatality in just over 130 million miles where Autopilot was activated. Among all vehicles in the US, there is a fatality every 94 million miles. Worldwide, there is a fatality approximately every 60 million miles. The wording implies that these numbers are directly comparable, but they are not. I would guess that Autopilot is much more likely to be activated in safe situations. But the other statistics include all situtations.

BenderV 10y ago
Yes, and since Tesla explicit ask driver to take over in dangerous situation, the number (fatality/miles) is certainly higher. Still, impressive result by the autopilot. I'm wondering, is there any advanced driving simulation? I'm guessing since they have now lots of data, they could simulate dangerous/extreme situation.
mozumder 10y ago
Also, the US fatal accident rate is one death per 108 million miles, which includes motorcycles and teens and drunk people. Not only that, you'd expect drivers in the higher-income demographic of US auto customers to have less fatal accidents. The real comparison should between a model S and cars like the Mercedes S-Class, since this is all about car marketing anyways.
- gjem97 10y ago
  > Not only that, you'd expect drivers in the higher-income demographic of US auto customers to have less fatal accidents. What? Why?
  - DanBC 10y ago
    newer, safer, well-maintained cars.
  - mozumder 10y ago
    Because they can afford cars with stronger safety features.
    - twinkletwinkle 10y ago
      They can also afford cars with stronger danger features, like turbochargers. They also might be more sheltered from the consequences of their actions and likely to be reckless while driving. Your assumption may even be correct, but I don't think it's obvious.
      - mozumder 10y ago
        Rich people are also older, and older people have low accident rates. In the end, the accident rate comparison to the global population is completely wrong.
      - ceejayoz 10y ago
        > They can also afford cars with stronger danger features, like turbochargers. Which makes it a better comparison to Teslas, really. http://jalopnik.com/the-tesla-model-s-just-got-upgraded-to-ludicrous-speed-1718577723 http://jalopnik.com/the-tesla-model-s-just-got-upgraded-to-l...
- mempko 10y ago
  Looks like there are some cars with zero recorded deaths. http://www.cnbc.com/2015/01/29/record-9-models-have-zero-highway-deaths-iihs-says.html http://www.cnbc.com/2015/01/29/record-9-models-have-zero-hig... Telsa isn't one of them...
twinkletwinkle 10y ago
Wouldn't it be hilarious if they were being really tacit about something like this? In an exceptional scenario, the autopilot disengages and tells the human user to take over. So maybe the autopilot drives into an untenable situation, disengages, the car crashes and kills the "driver", and then the statistics say "Well, Autopilot drove X miles and it was fine. The crash occurred while under human control..." As they say, it's not the fall that kills you. It's the sudden stop at the end.
- chillacy 10y ago
  A few weeks ago there was a case where a model S crashed because the human driver tapped the brakes, disengaging autopilot, but the driver did not know, and his car hit another car.

dingo_bat 10y ago

So how would autopilot turn the wheel if the driver is holding it?

hundchenkatze 10y ago
I'm guessing that there is not a traditional steering shaft connected to the steering wheel. Instead, opting for a drive by wire system. There's a sensor in the steering wheel that detects user input and then sends a signal to another motor connected to the steering rack which actually turns the wheels. The steering wheel also has a small motor to that accepts input from the steering rack to give feedback to the driver, think "Force Feedback" systems in video game racing wheels. So, Tesla can send steering signals to the steering rack independent of what the driver is doing with the wheel. This system is becoming more common in all vehicles, not just Tesla's cars.

brae 10y ago

This disclaimer also seems odd in the eventual case that an Autopilot accident involves someone in another vehicle being injured or killed. Although I implicitly agree to all sorts of risks when I drive on a public road, I'm still struggling with the idea that I'm agreeing to participate in a beta test for an automated driving system. Being a software engineer just makes the idea more terrifying!