Re: Brainless Tesla driver crashes, dies while car in Autopilot mode

[Ed Pawlowski]

On Fri, 1 Jul 2016 20:41:48 +0000 (UTC), "Leroy N. Soetoro"
<leroys...@usurper.org> wrote:

>http://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/2016/06/30/teslas-autopilot-tied-
>fatal-crash-nhtsa-investigates/86570046/
>
>Tesla Motors acknowledged today that a driver of one of its Model S cars
>operating in Autopilot mode died when the semi-autonomous system failed to
>detect a tractor-trailer turning in front of the luxury electric car.
>
>The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has begun a preliminary
>investigation of the fatal accident that occurred May 7 in Williston, Fla.
>
>The case illustrates the experimental nature of autonomous vehicle
>technology that has attracted billions of dollars of investment from the
>auto and technology industries.
>
>"This is the first known fatality in just over 130 million miles where
>Autopilot was activated," states a post on Tesla's corporate website.
>"Among all vehicles in the U.S., there is a fatality every 94 million
>miles. Worldwide, there is a fatality approximately every 60 million
>miles. It is important to emphasize that the NHTSA action is simply a
>preliminary evaluation to determine whether the system worked according to
>expectations."
>
>The post continues in substantial detail to describe the incident.
>
>"Neither Autopilot nor the driver noticed the white side of the tractor
>trailer against a brightly lit sky, so the brake was not applied. The high
>ride height of the trailer combined with its positioning across the road
>and the extremely rare circumstances of the impact caused the Model S to
>pass under the trailer, with the bottom of the trailer impacting the
>windshield of the Model S."

My car has the adaptive cruise control. It really works well and I
can follow another car for miles with speed changes, braking, and
never have to touch the pedals.

The sensor though, is mounted on the front grill. It is aimed in such
a way as to sense a car in front of me. A trailer though, has a large
high opening on the side of it. I wonder if the sensor read right
part the trailer by going under it and though, hey road is clear, lets
keep going. It will be interesting to see the final outcome.

Oh, the manual also does describe how the sensor will not read on a
curve if the lead vehicles is off the centerline of you when it hits
the curve first. I've sensed that and the car would go off as if
there was nothing ahead, but then pick up once you are directly behind
it again.

In any case, you still have to look out the window and pay attention.