This is the stupidest misuse of Tesla's autopilot

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One Dutchman took it upon himself to leave the front seat entirely while autonomously driving down the highway.

Autopilot, Tesla says, is supposed to function like the one on an airplane -- it's great for some autonomy, but it's incapable of functioning without an overseer ready to take the controls at a moment's notice.

This video, however, takes the cake for flagrant rule violation and outright stupidity. The video, reportedly taken in the Netherlands, shows a Model S owner utilizing Autopilot...from the backseat. With no driver present in the seat, and the seatbelt light flashing, the car continues to roll down the highway behind a large truck.

As I've stressed in the past, it's these kind of videos that spoil fledgling autonomy for the rest of us. The first person to get into an Autopilot accident by not following the rules will create a wave of negative PR that could very well sink the whole program. Self-driving cars are all but inevitable, but dumb moves like the one above could push widespread implementation back by years.



http://www.cnet.com/news/this-is-the-stupidest-misuse-of-teslas-autopilot-yet/
 
I believe they are already going to make it to where you have to have a hand on the steering wheel at all times or it won't let you use autopilot. Or at least I know they are going to change it to where you can't leave the seat like that. Something along those lines anyway, thanks to people like this.
 
The problem is that it's sometimes very dangerous to be on the other end of stupid.

Self driving care are not ready for prime time, not even close. Not by a very long shot. New technology is not always the answer especially if no one is asking the question.
 
why did not Tesla programmed safe guard against this? you can't be serious that engineers did not think of using the seat occupied and seat belt on signal to prevent these type of situations. in my book, that is a gross oversight on the person in charge of the programming.
 
Originally Posted By: Vikas
why did not Tesla programmed safe guard against this? you can't be serious that engineers did not think of using the seat occupied and seat belt on signal to prevent these type of situations. in my book, that is a gross oversight on the person in charge of the programming.
"And NOTHING can ever go wrong go wrong go wrong...."
 
Originally Posted By: Vikas
why did not Tesla programmed safe guard against this? you can't be serious that engineers did not think of using the seat occupied and seat belt on signal to prevent these type of situations. in my book, that is a gross oversight on the person in charge of the programming.

Idiot proof is not easy. Doesn't matter what engineer/programmer can think of doing to prevent misuse, some idiot will think of doing things nobody can imagine.
 
idiot proof only works if the idiot is not going on a crusade to break the proof.

A year or so ago during a local nurse strike a replacement nurse was forcing medication / saline drip hose in (or something like that) by rigging a special "adapter" on the fly when it wouldn't budge because they are different shape.

The patient died.

They already idiot proof, but the nurse just override it.
 
The Tartan Prancer, the Honda of Albania, has a swiveling driver seat for those times autopilot is active. Of ourse it's a fictional vehicle.
 
Great, self driving cars. Another 5,000 pages of government regulations...
 
I'm surprised it doesn't have any way to detect a hand touching the steering wheel. AFAIK all other car manufacturers will only enable the lane keeping assist while hands are on the wheel.
 
Originally Posted By: Ga129
I believe they are already going to make it to where you have to have a hand on the steering wheel at all times or it won't let you use autopilot.


What's the point of an 'autopilot' if you can't cover the windshield with a newspaper, pull out your iPad to play Angry Weasels, and chat up the stewardess while you eat lunch?

If I have to have my hands on the steering wheel, ready to take over a split-second's notice, I might as well be driving.
 
Twice now, I've now drive my friends Model S "D" with autopilot on. It's pretty good. Hunts a little on sweeping corners and is a bit late to brake for stopped traffic. Otherwise, it's spot on.

I'd use it anytime conditions allowed. It allows the driver to concentrate on traffic more "widely" by looking around more, and I find that it allows me to see things I would otherwise not see. In other words, it has a safety benefit.

It does prompt me to touch the wheel from time to time.

I like the fact that it changes lanes with the use of the blinker.
 
I'd just hang a beer on the Tesla's wheel and let it take me home from the bar! No DUI for me since I won't be driving!
grin.gif


They need a "home" button like the Iphone!
 
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