The advanced version of Tesla’s ‘Autopilot’ assistance system, which can also be used in city traffic, is being put to the test by the US Road Traffic Authority. The regulators point to four accidents involving Tesla electric cars. One of these left a pedestrian dead.
In the four accidents, visibility was limited, for example due to fog, dust or blinding sunlight. The experts from NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) are now investigating whether the system recognized the poor visibility and responded appropriately. Approximately 2.4 million vehicles are affected by the investigation.
Tesla gave this advanced version of the ‘Autopilot’ system the name ‘Full Self-Driving’. She must, among other things, observe traffic lights and priority rules. However, the car manufacturer itself points out that the people behind the wheel remain responsible and must be ready to take control at any time. Tesla is now talking about a ‘controlled’ version of the FSD system.
Musk wants to take away people’s responsibility
However, company boss Elon Musk recently announced that Tesla wants to put software on the roads in Texas and California next year that can drive without human supervision.
American drivers have been able to use FSD for several years, initially in a test version. Drivers also recently reported that the software ignored red light signals or entered the wrong lane. For Europe, Musk promised an introduction of the FSD software next year.
Skepticism about robotaxi plans
Musk recently presented a self-driving robotaxi without a steering wheel or pedals and announced that Tesla wanted to build the vehicles from 2026. Many experts are skeptical because Musk wants to implement autonomous driving only with cameras, without more expensive sensor technology such as laser radars, which active robotaxi providers such as Waymo already use. Waymo, a sister company of Google, already makes more than 100,000 passenger trips every week without a human behind the wheel in four American cities.
Musk actively supports former Republican President Donald Trump, who wants to return to the White House in the November elections. Trump had promised to entrust Musk with control of government spending. US authorities are also conducting other investigations into the ‘Autopilot’ system.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
