Found an article I thought of after seeing the donkey who fell asleep at the wheel.

https://www.autonews.com/article/201...-on-the-driver

You're telling me Tesla doesn't use this safety technology which is obviously available in this day and age for their vehicles which are on autopilot? BMW isn't even on autopilot and they have eye scanning sensors in their vehicles, you would think a car equipped with autopilot would HAVE to use this.

I am mind blown at Tesla.

 

My LS460 for example will back out of adaptive cruise if the wipers are set to high. So if they're in auto, and they click on high it kicks it out of cruise.

Now, all I would have to do is take them out of auto and leave them on lo and there, I've defeated it.

Bottom line is, the driver is ALWAYS responsible. This was the DRIVER'S fault, not the car's fault. The car is simply a tool. He was driving way too fast for the conditions, and using the autopilot when he shouldnt have been. In those conditions at that speed he may have lost control even if he was driving manually.

This driver should lose his driver's license.

 

Auto cruise isn't the same as "Autopilot" but I don't disagree wth you.

However don't think a Tesla should be enabling autopilot in pouring rain at 75MPH. It should be blocked out. A car so advanced should be able to assess it's not exactly ideal to go on autopilot in pouring rain at interstate speeds.

And yes, it is ultimately the driver's fault; he deserves the same punishment as a DUI. All these fools that do this do.

 

How does it know its pouring rain? Personal responsibility. People need to use their tools properly.

 

Rainsense sensor should pick it up.

 

Tesla's don't have rain sensors. It uses visual cues only.

 

Was just thinking about Lexus. not Tesla.

 

But we’re talking about Tesla

 

Well Lexus doesn't have autopilot.

 

A 1970s Mercedes, if it had the autonomous technology (which it doesn't...stay with me here) would deduce via vehicle speed and the fact that the wipers are engaged that it would be unsafe to go on autopilot, that is how ancient and easy the technology to monitor that is. Yet a Tesla will go on autopilot in those conditions...

It is a stupid move on Tesla's part to allow autopilot in conditions like that IMO.

 

Then the driver turns the wipers off. If it’s on autopilot why do you need wipers?

You see what I’m getting at? They can’t design out every way some moron can kill themselves with the car.

And would you not allow any autonomous driving in rain? Doesn’t seem very practical.

 

Yes of course I get what you're saying.....I just don't think it's wise to go fully autonomous at those speeds and conditions.

Tesla could have engineered that out. It wouldn't be hard for a car so advanced. Hence my 45 year old Mercedes example.

As far as rain, definitely not when it's pouring like that I wouldn't trust it.

 

Then the operator of the car should use their judgement and not use the autopilot.

And the car doesn’t know how hard it’s raining. It knows how fast the wipers are going and that speed is user selectable. If you say “it shouldn’t work with the wipers” then in reality you’re saying it shouldn’t work in any rain

You’re also ignoring the question of whether or not the driver still would have lost control had they been driving themselves at that speed on that road in that rain, probably. The car hydroplaned is what happened.

 

There's a misconception that Autopilot is automated driving. It is not and instead is really just an integrated system of existing technologies, mainly dynamic radar cruise, steering control, traction/VSC, and blind spot monitoring/parking sensors. There is no further intelligence to this .

Speed is set by the driver and in this case, 100% his fault. Whatever stability/traction loss detected by the car (reactively) for which it tried to then correct was too late after the car began hydroplaning.

Note - Every several seconds (typically 30 secs or so), a warning appears in the Tesla's screen warning the driver to place hands on the steering wheel if not detected, much like Lexus/Toyota's LKA.

 

That famous video was from the time when Tesla didn't require you to have the hands at the wheel nor it beeped to remind you. Only up until recently have they put in the warning ding.

Anyway if Tesla should be accountable for something is naming this service Autopilot, it's misleading, false and dangerous.