It is believed to be the first fatal accident to occur while using the TESLA autopilot function. A tragic loss for friends and family of the TESLA driver. And the beginning of a discussion about the safety of “self-driving cars”?
TESLA: accident resulting in death while driving with autopilot
"A tragic loss" The company TESLA overwritten the fatal accident of a TESLA Model S on an interstate in Florida in May. For some media this tragic accident immediately becomes the starting point to discuss the autopilot function, some even speak of the first "Fatal accident in a self-driving car ”. With all the tragedy. But that's nonsense. The autopilot function of the TESLA Model S is not a solution to the “self-driving car”, it is an assistance system. Contrary to the idea of self-driving vehicles, an assistance system serves to support the driver. The driver himself is responsible for the vehicle at all times.
The U.S. Road Safety Agency, NHTSA, has launched an investigation to test the operation of the TESLA autopilot. When using the autopilot, TESLA keeps pointing out that responsibility remains with the driver. It is not a vehicle control system.
However, especially at the beginning of the introduction of the system, the hype surrounding this assistant was enormous and many Tesla drivers put videos online showing how the system steers the vehicle “hands-free” and without the driver having to do anything. TESLA keeps pointing out: “Keep your hands on the steering wheel”.
The first fatal accident occurred between a TESLA Model S and a tractor-trailer that crossed the Interstate. The autopilot overlooked the light trailer of the tractor-trailer, did not trigger a warning and the driver was probably also distracted at this point. The Model S slipped under the trailer and was hit in the area of the A-pillars. A tragic accident that can happen again and again on the streets. US trucks also often do not have sufficient underrun protection to mitigate the consequences of this accident scenario.
As reported by TESLA, more than 130 million miles have already been driven in autopilot mode.