Autopilot Risks
A recent accident involving a Tesla Model S with its Autopilot function engaged cost the life of the car’s driver. Since then, there have been calls to disable the function or as least rename it.
We have cautioned many times in these posts about the advance of technology in automobiles. The advances are racing ahead faster than motorists – and perhaps manufacturers – can keep up. We even came to the conclusion that reaching true self drive mode would resolve these issues by taking the car out of the hands of drivers and relieving them of the responsibility.
But the technology has not yet matured and it remains incumbent on motorists to remain alert and engaged. This goes for backing up with the assist of a camera and proximity sensors, changing lanes while a blind spot monitor is active, and certainly will remain the case with an autopilot engaged.
Nissan will reportedly enlist countermeasures to ensure that drivers remain alert as it rolls out its ProPilot system. A torque sensor on the steering column will determine whether a hand is in contact with the steering wheel. Moving from warning lights through beepers to system disengagement, ProPilot will require driver input, period.
We applaud this from a company that has frankly been irresponsible in its advertising of other driver assist systems.
Tesla cites the fact that in order to engage its Autopilot function, the vehicle operator must pass through and accept a warning that the system requires the driver’s attention. It is essentially the equivalent of reading a software license agreement, which we all skim at best, and is not enough.
Airline Pilots Get Confused Too
Pilot confusion with an engaged Autothrottle system was cited as the cause of the crash of Asiana Airlines flight 214 in San Francisco in July of 2013. Pilots with thousands of hours of experience and training still managed to fall on human error. Drivers will never be given training remotely equivalent to that of an airline pilot. Nissan has it right in this case.
To be completely fair, 100 people die on average every day on U.S. roadways and a single fatality after well over one million miles driven on Autopilot has everyone shouting to the rafters.
For the foreseeable future however, autonomous driving system designs need to keep the driver in his or her seat – unlike this early Tesla example from a year ago – as well as engaged in the driving process. It may defeat the spirit and purpose of autonomous operation from the driver’s perspective, but safety is the ultimate goal.
Perhaps as vehicles became more computerized, a second seat could be given the driving responsibility at times.
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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.
These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.
Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.
The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY
Autonomous driving technology continues to creep forward
Autonomous driving
Its been some time since we commented on autonomous driving. In fact, its been seven years. But the topic has seen a resurgence in the news of late, so its a moment to contemplate.
The primary “driver” for the latest upswing is Tesla’s unveiling of its self-driving Robotaxi earlier this month (Oct. 2024). Elon Musk said that the model could be in service in 2025, but this is completely dependent on regulators.
That said, Musk had also said previously that Tesla could reach full autonomy in 2021, which didn’t happen, and first talked about a robotaxi service in 2019, which also didn’t happen.
However, drivers of current models equipped with the Autopilot technology love it, or at least claim to. Further, Tesla employees are currently hailing existing Tesla models as robocabs in a test program in the San Francisco area, still with a human driver on board.
Which is where regulators come in. They must approve of the service currently on a state-by-state basis. Its likely waaay down the list of legislative priorities, but its time for the U.S. Congress and the Department of Transportation to weigh in.
We are well aware of the risks surrounding self driving cars, and in fact most of our commentary to date plead for caution.
However, we are also acutely aware of the disruption and frustration experienced by ordinary drivers, perhaps more so than anyone or anywhere else. Helping drivers navigate new technology is, in fact, our primary mission. And we came to the conclusion some time ago that ordinary drivers would ne best served if the advance of technology took that technology out of their hands.
Despite the obstacles and risks, autonomy is the only end result possible.
And here’s something we’d said, and forgot. “Perhaps as vehicles became more computerized, a second seat could be given the driving responsibility at times.” Its our idea — so far as we know — but it remains intriguing. Admittedly, this flies in the face of getting rid of human control functions — steering wheels, pedals, etc., but so long as a human driver is needed to back up autonomy, why not??
——————————————————————-
Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.
These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.
Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.
The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY