The first known death caused by a self-driving car was disclosed by Tesla Motors on Thursday evening, a development that is sure to cause consumers to second-guess the trust they put in the booming autonomous vehicle industry.
The 7 May accident occurred in Williston, Florida, after the driver, Joshua Brown, 40, of Ohio put his Model S into Tesla’s autopilot mode, which is able to control the car during highway driving.
What happens when Tesla’s AutoPilot goes wrong: owners post swerving videos Read more 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 in a blog post.
An early May police report in the Levy County Journal said the top of the vehicle “was torn off by the force of the collision”. The truck driver, Frank Baressi, 62, of Tampa, Florida, was uninjured, the Journal reported.
America’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an inquiry into the accident.
Brown owned a technology company called Nexu Innovations and was a Tesla enthusiast who posted videos of his car on autopilot on YouTube. One video showed his car avoiding a collision on a highway, racking up 1m views after it was tweeted by Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
In its 537-word statement on the incident, the electric vehicle company repeatedly went out of its way to shift blame for the accident. The first paragraph notes that this was Tesla’s first known autopilot death in some 130 million miles driven by its customers. “Among all vehicles in the US, there is a fatality every 94 million miles,” the company then notes.
It goes on to say that the car’s autonomous software is designed to nudge consumers to keep their hands on the wheels to make sure they’re paying attention. “Autopilot is getting better all the time, but it is not perfect and still requires the driver to remain alert,” the company said.
At the end of its blog post, Tesla stated: “The customer who died in this crash had a loving family and we are beyond saddened by their loss,” the company said. “He was a friend to Tesla and the broader [electric vehicle] community, a person who spent his life focused on innovation and the promise of technology and who believed strongly in Tesla’s mission.”
'He was a friend to tesla' I'm assuming he doesn't mean Nikola Tesla, so that means the company. He was a friend to a corporation? Amazing what the marketing departments come out with when wanting to profit ain't it?
The guy's head must have come off which can't be good PR....makes me think of ED209 going daft in the boardroom in the original robocop
'He was a friend to tesla'I'm assuming he doesn't mean Nikola Tesla, so that means the company.He was a friend to a corporation?Amazing what the marketing departments come out with when wanting to profit ain't it?The guy's head must have come off whi
The idea that we will one day be happy to sit in a driverless car and be driven mikes on some of the most dangerous/ busy roads in the world, is pure fantasy.
The idea that we will one day be happy to sit in a driverless car and be driven mikes on some of the most dangerous/ busy roads in the world, is pure fantasy.
Don't see why it's 'fantasy'? Surely that has to be the ultimate goal? The technology is clearly still in its infancy, but there are loads of benefits to be gained from it, assuming it can all be harnessed satisfactorily.
Don't see why it's 'fantasy'? Surely that has to be the ultimate goal? The technology is clearly still in its infancy, but there are loads of benefits to be gained from it, assuming it can all be harnessed satisfactorily.
Tesla are trying to do something great ,the oil companys dont like them and this sort of cheap propaganda will flourish
Incase anyone us unaware Tesla are all electric ,of all the stuff that this story could be about ,funny enough when the Toyota Prius hybrids became a threat i seem to remember all sorts of stories about cars locked ,driving themselves ,brakes not working ....
Honestly folks think about it .....the oil companies will stop at nothing to prevent the new tech ,this story is not about a failed "self driving car" ...which the MSM are trying to call "auto pilot" ,its propaganda against ELECTRIC VEHICLES ,they fear Tesla and they are after them imo
Of the 30K+ RTA deaths per year in the states any involving an electric vehicle get the full monty from the OIL COMPANY driven MSM
a trailer crossing the highway ....hmmm Tesla are trying to do something great ,the oil companys dont like them and this sort of cheap propaganda will flourish Incase anyone us unaware Tesla are all electric ,of all the stuff that this story could be
Laugh Latalomne 01 Jul 16 12:10 Don't see why it's 'fantasy'? Surely that has to be the ultimate goal? The technology is clearly still in its infancy, but there are loads of benefits to be gained from it, assuming it can all be harnessed satisfactorily.
Do you work for tesla? Its complete fantasy, for starters people have no desire to go everywhere at the speed limit. Hence why young drivers can't get rid of their insurance black boxes fast enough.
@breadnbutter Petrol cars can be autonomous as well. Tesla lose $billions everyyear.
LaughLatalomne 01 Jul 16 12:10 Don't see why it's 'fantasy'? Surely that has to be the ultimate goal? The technology is clearly still in its infancy, but there are loads of benefits to be gained from it, assuming it can all be harnessed satisfa
Of course much more petrol cars have utilised self driving tech ,which proves my point about this story being anti tesla propaganda ,as i said they done the same to the prius .
I am fully aware of Teslas financial staus Zazu ,thats why i am trying to help them ,am also fully aware that this tech has been around for over 50 years (self driving)
Oil companys are running scared ,they have there own automatic self preservation system ...its called the MSM
Of course much more petrol cars have utilised self driving tech ,which proves my point about this story being anti tesla propaganda ,as i said they done the same to the prius .I am fully aware of Teslas financial staus Zazu ,thats why i am trying t
Repeat after me ......We dont need oil for combustion engines anymore ,We dont need oil for combustion engines anymore ,We dont need oil for combustion engines anymore ........
Repeat after me ......We dont need oil for combustion engines anymore ,We dont need oil for combustion engines anymore ,We dont need oil for combustion engines anymore ........
The self driving car They tell you not to take your hands off the wheel ffs So what the self driving car actually does is tells you to just be a human test dummy. I can't quite see where this testing in the market place period has any advantages, it just encourages you to be infinitesimally less conscious of the driving environment.
The self driving car They tell you not to take your hands off the wheel ffsSo what the self driving car actually does is tells you to just be a human test dummy.I can't quite see where this testing in the market place period has any advantages, it ju
No, I don't work for Tesla. If you take the technology to its obvious conclusions (and I'm not for one moment suggesting this happens anytime soon), speed limits become irrelevant out of town. Get all of the vehicles within 400m actually talking to one another and you get rid of accidents overnight, freeing up the police, ambulances, doctors, hospital beds, eradicating motor insurance premiums, lowering emissions, potentially getting you where you want to get faster because traffic flows better, etc etc....
No, I don't work for Tesla. If you take the technology to its obvious conclusions (and I'm not for one moment suggesting this happens anytime soon), speed limits become irrelevant out of town. Get all of the vehicles within 400m actually talking to
This day was always going to happen, the makers of technology have long known the day a robot kills a human will happen and the public will have to decide where it goes after. Its an odd equation since serial killers are by their definition odious, but the concept of robots killing humans is even worse.
This day was always going to happen, the makers of technology have long known the day a robot kills a human will happen and the public will have to decide where it goes after.Its an odd equation since serial killers are by their definition odious, bu
All cars talking to each other? Like the voices in your head
No company will produce a true automanous car because they'd be liable for damages when stuff likes this happens.
All cars talking to each other? Like the voices in your head No company will produce a true automanous car because they'd be liable for damages when stuff likes this happens.
just think- interior can be anything to suit- a dble bed/ a table and chairs - anything
drive you to the pub- takes kids off to any destination and then return on its own to you - no more taxiing the kids around etc
go on hoiday- just watch movies/ sleep and wake up refreshed in the european destination of your choice
I'll grab one as soon as the technology delivers on price and choice
hurry up please- i'm getting old
they wil arive;just think- interior can be anything to suit- a dble bed/ a table and chairs - anythingdrive you to the pub- takes kids off to any destination and then return on its own to you - no more taxiing the kids around etc go on hoiday- just
Electronic counter-measures ..I blame Putin ... No but seriously ...all over Britain (MI-5, MI-6) - same in America (FBI, CIA) there's secret establishments transmitting microwave energy beams maybe they could have interfeared with the Teslas on board computer systems ??? Plays havoc with keyless entry in the UK
Electronic counter-measures ..I blame Putin ...No but seriously ...all over Britain (MI-5, MI-6) - same in America (FBI, CIA) there's secret establishments transmitting microwave energy beams maybe they could have interfeared with the Teslas on board
'Driverless' cars will be so much safer. Contrary to advice, I gather the guy was watching a film, I feel a Darwin award coming up.
It appears the trailer truck was higher than the radar sensors on the Tesla - that can be corrected easily.
It's the future people, especially when you all become drooling shrinkies - you want to stay at home in a pile of your excrement, ignored by your 'carer'?
Well over a million die on the roads each year.'Driverless' cars will be so much safer. Contrary to advice, I gather the guy was watching a film, I feel a Darwin award coming up.It appears the trailer truck was higher than the radar sensors on the T
bodil 02 Jul 16 01:00 Joined: 27 Feb 03 | Topic/replies: 11,506 | Blogger: bodil's blog Well over a million die on the roads each year.
'Driverless' cars will be so much safer. Contrary to advice, I gather the guy was watching a film, I feel a Darwin award coming up.
It appears the trailer truck was higher than the radar sensors on the Tesla - that can be corrected easily.
It's the future people, especially when you all become drooling shrinkies - you want to stay at home in a pile of your excrement, ignored by your 'car'?
Not if its a Tesla
bodil 02 Jul 16 01:00 Joined: 27 Feb 03 | Topic/replies: 11,506 | Blogger: bodil's blogWell over a million die on the roads each year.'Driverless' cars will be so much safer. Contrary to advice, I gather the guy was watching a film, I feel a Darwin
Don't see why it's 'fantasy'? Surely that has to be the ultimate goal? The technology is clearly still in its infancy, but there are loads of benefits to be gained from it, assuming it can all be harnessed satisfactorily. ------------------
Latalomne 01 Jul 16 12:10 Don't see why it's 'fantasy'? Surely that has to be the ultimate goal? The technology is clearly still in its infancy, but there are loads of benefits to be gained from it, assuming it can all be harnessed satisfactorily.
It will NEVER - "be harnessed satisfactorily." ...
Because ALL POSSIBLE eventualities will never be able to be programed into the control system.
Rather like they say about the Counter Terrorism executive ...
The Terrorists only need to get lucky once - The counter terrorists intelligence unit need to get it right EVERY TIME.
They don't - or CANNOT - and people die.
^ reply .It will NEVER - "be harnessed satisfactorily." ...Because ALL POSSIBLE eventualities will never be able to be programed into the control system.Rather like they say about the Counter Terrorism executive ...The Terrorists only need to get luc
counter terrorism currently utilises artificial intelligence ,without it the job would be impossible
driverless/automated/auto pilot are just terms ,the tech has and is very effectively used ,to think something like a "car" cannot be fully automated and function satisfactorily is to greatly underestimate where technology is right now.
The human brain is in the grand scheme of current technological capabilities nearly obsolete
just go onto youtube and see the human brain fail miserably at driving
like it or not it WILL ,become a passenger
sooner the better
counter terrorism currently utilises artificial intelligence ,without it the job would be impossible driverless/automated/auto pilot are just terms ,the tech has and is very effectively used ,to think something like a "car" cannot be fully automate
there was a Howard Hughes film with Tommy Lee Jones, might have been a mini series?
he was working on a steam car in his younger days and at one stage throws a spanner at the door and a load of hot steam burst out of the car and destroys the motor. He quickly abandons it. But imagine if he stuck to it. he said it was too dangerous but the car of today has killed millions. How much more dangerous could it be?
If man every could crack the fusion problem then electric cars would be great. no more oil monopolies, no more pollution from fuels. Shame that time is up.
there was a Howard Hughes film with Tommy Lee Jones, might have been a mini series?he was working on a steam car in his younger days and at one stage throws a spanner at the door and a load of hot steam burst out of the car and destroys the motor. He