Virginia authorities have determined that a Tesla was operating on its Autopilot system and was speeding in the moments leading to a crash with a crossing tractor-trailer last July that killed the Tesla driver. The death of Pablo Teodoro III, 57, is the third since 2016 in which a Tesla that was using Autopilot ran underneath a crossing tractor-trailer, raising questions about the partially automated system's safety and where it should be allowed to operate. The crash south of Washington remains under investigation by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which sent investigators to Virginia last summer and began a broader probe of Autopilot more than two years ago.

Virginia sheriff’s office says Tesla was running on Autopilot moments before tractor-trailer crash::Virginia authorities have determined that a Tesla was operating on its Autopilot system and was speeding in the moments leading to a crash with a crossing tractor-trailer last July that killed the Tesla driver. The death of Pablo Teodoro III, 57, is the third since 2016 in which a Tesla that was using Autopilot ran underneath a crossing tractor-trailer, raising questions about the partially automated system’s safety and where it should be allowed to operate. The crash south of Washington remains under investigation by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which sent investigators to Virginia last summer and began a broader probe of Autopilot more than two years ago.

  • @[email protected]English
    39•1 year ago

    Honestly I think it’s people who are trusting these systems way too much. They think it’s safe because of marketing.

    • @FadesEnglish
      25•1 year ago

      No coincidence Tesla is attacking those that are trying to hold them accountable for false advertising. They claim it infringes upon their 1A rights, fucking capitalist pigs

    • @[email protected]English
      9•1 year ago

      Well, people wouldn’t trust it if there wasn’t lying marketing in the first place, kind of.

    • @asdfasdfasdfEnglish
      -1•1 year ago

      There’s a huge warning sign when you turn on autopilot saying you need to always be paying attention and ready to take over at any time, and you need to acknowledge this before it turns it on. It also checks periodically that you’re in control of the wheel, or else will disengage.

      The reasont these people crash is that they’re morons.

      • @[email protected]English
        6•1 year ago

        It also checks periodically that you’re in control of the wheel, or else will disengage.

        Disengaging autopilot when it detects you are not in control of the wheel sounds a bit dangerous.

        • @[email protected]English
          4•1 year ago

          Honda has lane assist and adaptive cruise control. It also disengage both of them if it doesn’t detect driver feedback after a while.

          I tested it when alone on a long straight empty freeway out of curiosity for anyone wondering. I did have my hands hovering the wheel ready tk take control just in case but otherwise didn’t touch it after I engaged both systems.

          Did a couple tests and it disengaged them every time after a little while.

        • @[email protected]English
          1•1 year ago

          It alerts you. You’d have to be asleep to not get the alerts.

          In cars with adaptive cruise, lane keeping, etc, it’ll beep and flash on the dash if you’re not steering enough (I have a car that complains all the time because I don’t grip the wheel like an ape).

          Some will shake the wheel too. Or slow the car down if you don’t respond.