3 ms·

The term Autopilot seems to be taken from the aviation industry, where "Autopilots do not replace human operators. Instead, the autopilot assists the operator's

by lgats 5y ago

The term Autopilot seems to be taken from the aviation industry, where "Autopilots do not replace human operators. Instead, the autopilot assists the operator's control of the vehicle, allowing the operator to focus on broader aspects of operations (for example, monitoring the trajectory, weather and on-board systems)." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autopilot https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autopilot

heavyset_go 5y ago
Most people do not know the technical details of airplane autopilot systems, because they are not technical nor are they pilots. Colloquially, autopilot means fully autonomous to most people. Tesla's marketing[1] is clear about what they mean when they say "Autopilot" and "Full Self-Driving": > The person in the driver’s seat is only there for legal reasons. He is not doing anything. The car is driving itself. It's been up on Tesla's site for 5 years now. [1] https://www.tesla.com/videos/autopilot-self-driving-hardware-neighborhood-long?redirect=no https://www.tesla.com/videos/autopilot-self-driving-hardware...
- redis_mlc 5y ago
  > Most people do not know the technical details of airplane autopilot systems, because they are not technical nor are they pilots. Colloquially, autopilot means fully autonomous to most people. That's not how they work or are used in aviation: 1) The pilot in command is solely responsible for the flight, not a device. That's why there's 2 pilots on airline flights, and will be for the forseeable future (ie. decades.) 2) Autopilots are either basic levellers (like automotive cruise control systems), or FMS (computer systems.) In either case, a pilot configures them, and is likely to deactivate or re-program them during flight. There's no confusion who is responsible though - solely the pilot in command. 3) The pilot is not there "for legal reasons" - he's there as the airman responsible and in control of the trip. 4) An airline might have minimum equipment lists (MELs) that require a functioning autopilot for revenue flights, but it depends on the aircraft model. (Because airliners are complex machines, it's not required to have every single piece of equipment working for each flight.) Source: commercially-rated airplane pilot.
jdlshore 5y ago
Yes, this apology is made every time people criticize Tesla’s term. But I think it’s misleading nonetheless—what really matters is a layperson’s interpretation of the term, particularly when it comes to something as dangerous as “Autopilot.”

by lgats 5y ago

heavyset_go 5y ago

Most people do not know the technical details of airplane autopilot systems, because they are not technical nor are they pilots. Colloquially, autopilot means fully autonomous to most people. Tesla's marketing[1] is clear about what they mean when they say "Autopilot" and "Full Self-Driving": > The person in the driver’s seat is only there for legal reasons. He is not doing anything. The car is driving itself. It's been up on Tesla's site for 5 years now. [1] https://www.tesla.com/videos/autopilot-self-driving-hardware-neighborhood-long?redirect=no https://www.tesla.com/videos/autopilot-self-driving-hardware...

redis_mlc 5y ago
> Most people do not know the technical details of airplane autopilot systems, because they are not technical nor are they pilots. Colloquially, autopilot means fully autonomous to most people. That's not how they work or are used in aviation: 1) The pilot in command is solely responsible for the flight, not a device. That's why there's 2 pilots on airline flights, and will be for the forseeable future (ie. decades.) 2) Autopilots are either basic levellers (like automotive cruise control systems), or FMS (computer systems.) In either case, a pilot configures them, and is likely to deactivate or re-program them during flight. There's no confusion who is responsible though - solely the pilot in command. 3) The pilot is not there "for legal reasons" - he's there as the airman responsible and in control of the trip. 4) An airline might have minimum equipment lists (MELs) that require a functioning autopilot for revenue flights, but it depends on the aircraft model. (Because airliners are complex machines, it's not required to have every single piece of equipment working for each flight.) Source: commercially-rated airplane pilot.

jdlshore 5y ago

Yes, this apology is made every time people criticize Tesla’s term. But I think it’s misleading nonetheless—what really matters is a layperson’s interpretation of the term, particularly when it comes to something as dangerous as “Autopilot.”