3 ms·
You are right and wrong and the same time. By quoting an average, assuming those numbers hold when scaled up, you are compressing the actual distribution into
by platz 7y ago
You are right and wrong and the same time.
By quoting an average, assuming those numbers hold when scaled up, you are compressing the actual distribution into a single number. Overall that high-level number may be correct.
But at the same time, the kinds of people that get into accidents will be a different distribution.
How you drive factors a lot into how likely you are into getting in an accident, even allowing for the other drivers.
If the distribution becomes essentially random then you might actually have a higher chance of getting into an accident than before, if you were a very careful driver.
(Obviously those that benefit the most are the bad drivers since they'll no longer be bad)
Just remember that whenever you summarize a distribution into a single number like an average, you loose a lot of information in the process.
- grey-area 7y agoSure, there are various inadequacies in the data, Tesla is clearly not an unbiased source (though there has been some verification from gov agencies), but I think the rapidly decreasing accident rate is significant (even when compared to the same car without those features), and we'll see numbers continue to improve over time. Most people are simply not careful drivers all the time. This is one major advantage computers have - they don't get tired or distracted. Time will tell as we get more data about supervised driving, but I think it's inaccurate to say we don't have data yet, it is imperfect of course, but it does point to computers being safer than humans in some very common conditions over millions of miles.
- platz 7y agoWould you accept a higher risk of accident for you and your children, if it meant that an order of magnitude more other bad drivers would be saved? Also keep in mind the outrage factor. The reason airplane crashes are so feared is because of the loss of control. Meanwhile alcohol and cars are much more dangerous but much lower outrage because you still feel like you have some control.
- grey-area 7y agoEveryone thinks they are better than average.