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First autonomous car fatality ........



symyjym

Banned
Nov 2, 2009
13,138
Brighton / Hove actually
The first known death caused by a self-driving car was disclosed by Tesla Motors on Thursday, a development that is sure to cause consumers to second-guess the trust they put in the booming autonomous vehicle industry.

Against a bright spring sky, the car’s sensors system failed to distinguish a large white 18-wheel truck and trailer crossing the highway, Tesla said. The car attempted to drive full speed under the trailer, “with the bottom of the trailer impacting the windshield of the Model S”, Tesla said

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jun/30/tesla-autopilot-death-self-driving-car-elon-musk
 


Fungus

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
May 21, 2004
7,038
Truro
I hate the idea of "driverless cars" (and they WOULD need a driver, so "autonomous vehicle" is perhaps better), but they will arrive in incremental stages, as shown by the Tesla. In a way, lane-changing is only a step up from self-parking cars.

Even my humble Jazz can brake automatically if it senses I'm getting too close to the car in front (though I have the option set just to bleep rather than brake). It also reads speed signs and warns if I cross lanes without signalling, which is handy but annoying.

I have been a passenger in a Tesla, and the acceleration they have is awesome. I'm just glad I didn't know about the automatic lane-changing at the time.

Humans also make plenty of stupid mistakes, but this does seem to raise the stakes.

Of course, it's really all about selling us new stuff...
 





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