Autopilot May Have Been Traveling Too Fast To Avoid Crashing Into Parked Firetruck

All eyes are on Tesla once more, after a Model S traveling at highway speeds crashed into a parked fire truck in Culver City, California earlier this week. The collision, which allegedly happened while the car was on Autopilot, has incited renewed debates, criticisms, and an upcoming government probe on Tesla and its evolving driving-assist software.

As more details about the accident emerge, here is a brief discussion on the latest and most pertinent information relating to the recent Model S collision.

As we stated in a previous report, the Tesla Model S was traveling at 65 mph on Interstate 405 on Monday morning when it crashed into a stationary fire truck. The emergency vehicle was parked on the road after being deployed to a separate accident in the area.

mre30 - 1/29/2018 10:47:54 AM

+4 Boost

Hmmm...accidents like this do not seem to happen with Mercedes, Volvo, Audi, etc. self-driving systems engaged.

Is the problem STILL with Tesla marketing where customers are led to believe that the system has great abilities than it actually has?

As this seems to be a 'perception of abilities' problem, I would suggest that Tesla should bite the bullet and change the name of the system from Auto Pilot to something more banal.

Hauerg - 1/29/2018 12:59:08 PM

-1 Boost

Nope.
The manual clearly states that if you are travelling behind a car and the car in front of you changes lane to avoid a stationary object the Tesla AP will/might not be able to stop in time.
That is exactly what happened in this case according to the Tesla driver.

mre30 - 1/29/2018 5:07:24 PM

+2 Boost

@Haureg - You may be the only consumer in America that has the time/interest/bandwidth/intellect to read a "manual".

The very fact that you need to read a "manual" to explain the many, many nuances of a product called "Auto Pilot" confirms my postulation. Consumers who love the idea of engaging an "Auto Pilot" are really the last ones who would be inclined to read a "manual".

It really comes down to "manual" versus "auto".

MDarringer - 1/30/2018 8:15:42 AM

0 Boost

The original names Elon considered for Autopilot were Autoschwitz, Autokill, and Deathpilot, but his legal department feared litigation for being too transparent.

supermoto - 1/31/2018 12:40:30 AM

+3 Boost

Should be illegal to call it Autopilot if a human needs to be in control every second the car is moving. All of these systems are really just driver assistance.

skytop - 1/31/2018 12:04:27 PM

+3 Boost

Elon Musk's autonomous sports car will be orbiting the planet Mars soon. It will most likely collide with an meteor.

malba2367 - 1/31/2018 12:26:04 PM

+3 Boost

This higher level of autonomous driving that operates at high speeds clearly is not ready for prime time. If you think that Tesla somehow came up with this technology while Toyota, GM, Ford, Daimler, VW, Nissan/Renault etc have not been able to then you are drinking some serious Elon Kool Aid. All these other manufacturers are aggressively testing the technology, but obviously do not believe that it is ready to be unleashed on the masses yet. There are relatively few accidents, because there are relatively few Teslas out there.