Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched a formal Tesla Autopilot investigation following four recent accidents, including one fatal crash that claimed the life of a pedestrian.
The investigation seeks to determine whether Tesla’s Autopilot system, a key driver-assist feature, functions effectively in low-visibility conditions, such as those caused by fog, dust, or glaring sunlight.
The NHTSA’s Tesla Autopilot investigation centers on whether the system can adequately detect and respond to poor visibility. Each of the four accidents being reviewed occurred in situations where visibility was compromised. The inquiry impacts approximately 2.4 million Tesla vehicles that are equipped with Autopilot.
Autopilot is designed to assist drivers with tasks like lane-keeping, adaptive cruise control, and highway navigation. Despite these advanced features, Tesla has emphasized that Autopilot is not a fully autonomous system, and drivers are required to remain attentive and ready to take over at any moment. The company has repeatedly stressed that Autopilot should be used with active driver supervision.
Tesla has also developed a more advanced system known as Full Self-Driving (FSD), which is designed to handle more complex driving environments such as city streets and traffic signals. However, even with FSD, drivers are still expected to maintain control and supervision of their vehicles.
Amidst the Tesla Autopilot investigation, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced plans to introduce a version of the Full Self-Driving system that would require no human oversight. This updated version is expected to debut in Texas and California by 2024. However, the current version of FSD has faced several complaints from users, who have reported issues such as the system running red lights, making incorrect turns, or failing to respond to critical situations.
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The Tesla Autopilot investigation by NHTSA underscores the ongoing safety concerns surrounding Tesla’s self-driving technology. While the company continues to push for advancements in autonomous driving, these recent accidents have raised questions about the reliability of systems like Autopilot, particularly in adverse conditions.
The outcome of the investigation could have far-reaching consequences for the future of autonomous vehicles and Tesla’s ambitions in this space.
(Becky)
