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> my daughter—as well as all of your children—could become just another anomaly in the path toward progress. Wouldja think of the children! I'm astonished that

> my daughter—as well as all of your children—could become just another anomaly in the path toward progress. Wouldja think of the children! I'm astonished that this argument-enhancing cheat-code still flies in 2019. It should be as obvious as "these N-units of clickbait". If he's so concerned about his daughter, why did he take her out on a freeway where several lives are lost per year? Why does he allow his precious daughter to breathe the smog from millions of automobiles in the LA Basin? I mean, think of the children! breathing all that NOx into their little-children lungs! We need regulation! The game is stacked against Autonomous tech since the detractors can point to any incident at which AT is at fault, but AT supporters can't point to the lives saved by safer decisions, faster reaction times, less emissions, zero emotion which serves to reduce stress and road rage incidents. But since those gains are invisible, and people are emotional, hit pieces like this will always be popular.

snerbles 7y ago
> I'm astonished that this argument-enhancing cheat-code still flies in 2019. I'm not. Preying on instincts is a classic tactic, one that will continue to work until the Allied Mastercomputer implements human extinction in a fit of machine-driven spite.
polotics 7y ago
I am sorry but you are invoking a strawman by claiming the article does a "think of the children" argument. This is one specific child in one specific case of narrowly avoiding harm. The example is one clear case of the technology not being ready, not being likewhat you describe it.
- notus 7y ago
  Even at an unready state it is better than human drivers. People literally text and drive while going 80 mph on a highway.
  - whenchamenia 7y ago
    Maybe shitty human drivers breaking the law, but no, not better than actual focused drivers. Otherwise the ball is in your court for data. Quit perpetuating this baseless myth.
- hsk823 7y ago
  This is clearly not a clear case of technology not being ready. This is a case of the technology being misused by consumers. Yes marketing it as being autonomous (when it's not) causes consumer confusion, but no one should think auto pilot as Tesla markets it is that, it's a driver assist tech like every other car maker has in their lineup these days. If anything Tesla may adopt what other car makers do when they see their driver aids get abused. Other makers turn off these systems if it senses a driver isn't paying attention and doesn't sense a hand is on the wheel.
- loco5niner 7y ago
  It DOES use a "think of the children" argument. I mean... it's right in the title.
  - polotics 7y ago
    Nope, the title is about one infant daughter.
    - loco5niner 7y ago
      Pedantry aside... "One infant daughter" may not represent "children", but "children" certainly represents "one infant daughter".
nopriorarrests 7y ago
It is well documented that Tesla regulary releases features which make wrong decisions and put drivers into dangerous situations. Last case happened literally 5 days ago and already well-documented by Tesla owners (and not some imaginary evil short-sellers): 1. https://np.reddit.com/r/teslamotors/comments/burimz/psa_emergency_lane_departure_avoidance_has/ https://np.reddit.com/r/teslamotors/comments/burimz/psa_emer... 2. https://np.reddit.com/r/teslamotors/comments/bulra4/emergency_lane_departure_almost_caused_a_serious/ https://np.reddit.com/r/teslamotors/comments/bulra4/emergenc... 3. https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/emergency-lane-departure-false-positives.153765/ https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/emergency-lane-depar... It worth mentioning that this feature, called ELD, can't be disabled permanently and enables itself back again after each trip. Driver is expected to disable it manually each time. Also, this feature could kick in anytime, even when driver is actively steering! So, maybe author was wrong when he mentioned his kid, but his point is essentially correct. How is this behaviour OK on a public road -- "I made it half way into the shoulder and the emergency lane departure kicked in a yanked me back into the lane, almost hitting the car I was passing as I fought with the automatic steering"?

snerbles 7y ago

> I'm astonished that this argument-enhancing cheat-code still flies in 2019. I'm not. Preying on instincts is a classic tactic, one that will continue to work until the Allied Mastercomputer implements human extinction in a fit of machine-driven spite.

polotics 7y ago

I am sorry but you are invoking a strawman by claiming the article does a "think of the children" argument. This is one specific child in one specific case of narrowly avoiding harm. The example is one clear case of the technology not being ready, not being likewhat you describe it.

notus 7y ago
Even at an unready state it is better than human drivers. People literally text and drive while going 80 mph on a highway.
- whenchamenia 7y ago
  Maybe shitty human drivers breaking the law, but no, not better than actual focused drivers. Otherwise the ball is in your court for data. Quit perpetuating this baseless myth.
hsk823 7y ago
This is clearly not a clear case of technology not being ready. This is a case of the technology being misused by consumers. Yes marketing it as being autonomous (when it's not) causes consumer confusion, but no one should think auto pilot as Tesla markets it is that, it's a driver assist tech like every other car maker has in their lineup these days. If anything Tesla may adopt what other car makers do when they see their driver aids get abused. Other makers turn off these systems if it senses a driver isn't paying attention and doesn't sense a hand is on the wheel.
loco5niner 7y ago
It DOES use a "think of the children" argument. I mean... it's right in the title.
- polotics 7y ago
  Nope, the title is about one infant daughter.
  - loco5niner 7y ago
    Pedantry aside... "One infant daughter" may not represent "children", but "children" certainly represents "one infant daughter".

nopriorarrests 7y ago

It is well documented that Tesla regulary releases features which make wrong decisions and put drivers into dangerous situations. Last case happened literally 5 days ago and already well-documented by Tesla owners (and not some imaginary evil short-sellers): 1. https://np.reddit.com/r/teslamotors/comments/burimz/psa_emergency_lane_departure_avoidance_has/ https://np.reddit.com/r/teslamotors/comments/burimz/psa_emer... 2. https://np.reddit.com/r/teslamotors/comments/bulra4/emergency_lane_departure_almost_caused_a_serious/ https://np.reddit.com/r/teslamotors/comments/bulra4/emergenc... 3. https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/emergency-lane-departure-false-positives.153765/ https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/emergency-lane-depar... It worth mentioning that this feature, called ELD, can't be disabled permanently and enables itself back again after each trip. Driver is expected to disable it manually each time. Also, this feature could kick in anytime, even when driver is actively steering! So, maybe author was wrong when he mentioned his kid, but his point is essentially correct. How is this behaviour OK on a public road -- "I made it half way into the shoulder and the emergency lane departure kicked in a yanked me back into the lane, almost hitting the car I was passing as I fought with the automatic steering"?