Is Tesla's Autopilot As Safe As Advertised?

Is Tesla's Autopilot As Safe As Advertised?

Multiple crashes mar the record of Tesla's "Navigate on Autopilot" driver assistance system. Despite repeated assurances by Tesla, drivers continue to have issues with software. Drivers have been injured while the feature as been active, and in one case a Model X SUV driver was killed. Amid these setbacks, Tesla is rolling out Software Version 9.0. The goal of the update is to increase stability and functionality, but is it enough?

Navigate on Autopilot can be activated on highways to assist the driver via a series of sensors, cameras, and control mechanisms that can speed up, slow down, and make adjustments. Tesla claims that its system has performed normally and is not responsible for the incidents in question.

A recent lawsuit claims that the software implemented cannot reliably detect non-moving objects and differentiate between them. This includes vehicles on the side of the road. This can and has resulted in high-speed collisions that can cause injury and death. Tesla denies the claims and counters that if it is used per the instructions, Navigate on Autopilot is the safest driver assistance platform on the road.

We and our partners at Service King Seattle here in Seattle, WA will be watching the litigation closely, as it will certainly affect the future of Tesla's autopilot programs and the automotive industry's adoption of autonomous driving systems as a whole.

Written By: Todd Hendrickson
Source: Bloomberg