OT: Tesla always pushing the envelope
Papi_Chulo
Miami, FL (or the nearest big-booty club)
Tesla’s latest software update has drawn scrutiny from a federal auto safety agency. Included in the company’s most recent V.10 software upgrade is a Smart Summon feature that lets drivers call their car from a parking spot to wherever they’re standing.
On Wednesday, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said they had received reports about the feature:
NHTSA sent the statement to CNBC after Reuters first reported on the matter.
Since Smart Summon began to roll out widely to Tesla owners in the U.S. last month, videos on social media platforms have showed Teslas operating with Smart Summon in what appear to be near-accidents. The Smart Summon feature is intended for use in parking lots only when the user can see their vehicle at all times.
Some of the videos show Tesla customers delighted by Smart Summon, while using the feature in reasonably crowded parking lots. Other videos show a Tesla striking a garage wall, and a Tesla being struck by a vehicle backing up, for example. In one video, a father puts his child and pet in the path of the car while testing Smart Summon (which he calls “Enhanced Summon”) in a driveway.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Other Tesla Autopilot features were engaged during at least three fatal U.S. crashes. Two of those remain under investigation by the NTSB and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The NTSB makes safety recommendations, while the NHTSA can order a recall on vehicle models or parts they deem defective.
Some vids shown in the link below:
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/02/nhtsa-lo…
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You do really need to have line of sight. I have personally had one incidences with it. I was out with my wife and we summoned the car. It started pulling out from one driving lane in the parking lot to the main lane that was right in front of the store. It started pulling out in front of someone and then stopped. But the cars nose was sticking out a little too far. The car just sat there waiting for the other car to pass. This guy honked then got angry and drove by and looked in the window of the Tesla, I think he was looking for the driver so he could make an angry glare. But of course there was no one in the car. So the guy just sat there... for a while... My wife and I were like... oh fuck now we really don't want to walk up to the car... so we had to wait for him to drive off. It was hilariously awkward.
As far as safety goes I don't really see any issue. Tesla does not play nicely with traditional journalists so the stories are usually negative and massively overblown. The system is super safe when it comes to not hitting people or other cars. It has trouble with thin poles like what you would see a handicap sign on. My car got unnervingly close to one once.
I think autonomous driving cars are a ways away just because of this. It has to be at a very high error free rate, like 99% or above to go into widespread use. I think it'll be awhile before they are able to get it that foolproof.
There's also a group of people who could use that feature to the benefit of society. Selfishly, I'd rather have a bunch Tesla's driving around the parking lot potentially getting in my way than a bunch of old people walking around absolutely getting in my way. For the most part, those same arrogant douches acting like they own the batmobile are probably better off on the sidewalk waiting for their car than they are walking around the parking lot not paying attention too. If they had to go get their car, they'd probably be on their phone walking around causing trouble. I've seen WAY more accidents because of that sort of thing than anything else.
i'm all for it.
SJG
Thanks!
So so about these self flying shuttle craft. Cutting the pilot out, means the weight and size can be halved. And these don't have to deal with ground traffic, don't have to go very far or very fast.
But still, I would ask people to hold back.
And this Tesla thing, seems like it is using legal loop holes, like the fact that it is private property.
Would not want self driving automobiles, vacuum cleaners, or fork lifts to become common.
I would say that we should pass new regulations to put the brakes on this.
In San Francisco we have BART, originally intended to be a self driving train. But as no one was confident that the software was right to make this safe yet, the idea was shelved, now seemingly forever.
SJG