Trucker likely at fault in 1st autonomous vehicle fatality

Discussion in 'Truckers News' started by double yellow, Jun 30, 2016.

  1. double yellow

    double yellow Road Train Member

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    A Tesla driver died when it drove under a semi trailer as the truck was attempting to turn left onto a divided highway. The car was on "autopilot" mode, but neither it nor the driver applied the brakes before the collision.

    http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/car-technology/news/a29791/tesla-autopilot-fatal-crash-report/

    However, the NHTSA's preliminary report places the blame on the trucker:

    "Preliminary reports indicate the vehicle crash occurred when a tractor-trailer made a left turn in front of the Tesla at an intersection on a noncontrolled access highway."
     
    Last edited: Jun 30, 2016
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  3. Thermos Bottle

    Thermos Bottle Light Load Member

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    Driver was probably texting while in idiot mode.
     
  4. Blackshack46

    Blackshack46 Road Train Member

    Mostly agree, you don't leave a machine in control when human error is all around you. You the driver of the automated machine still has to have most of the responsibility and control of that car.

    If it didn't stop for a big ### tractor trailer, why would it stop for a kid chasing a ball into the street?

    Disclaimer: I didn't read the article.
     
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  5. supersnackbar

    supersnackbar Road Train Member

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    So wait..."the sun was in my eyes" is now a valid excuse for your robot car crashing itself now?

    Tesla needs Wingman and OnGuard engineers working for them...both of those systems I have driven in the past picked up objects in front of me that were higher than the gap under the side of a trailer....including overpasses that were 15 or 16 feet off the ground.
     
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  6. blairandgretchen

    blairandgretchen Road Train Member

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    Nah.

    I applaud Tesla for their advances in electric car engineering,

    I was unaware they were dumb enough to approach Auto Pilot technology.

    RIP dumb driver.
     
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  7. STexan

    STexan Road Train Member

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    Who would engage "auto pilot" on ANYTHING except a controlled access highway? The technology just isn't ready for the real world of cross streets/roads on busy and fast roads. This is not to remove fault from the trucker, but "stupid is as stupid does".
     
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  8. Hammer166

    Hammer166 Crusty Information Officer

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    Just posted this on another thread, yesterday, or day before.

     
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  9. double yellow

    double yellow Road Train Member

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    So Tesla thinks semi's turning in front of traffic is a "rare circumstance"

    "The high ride height of the trailer combined with its positioning across the road and the extremely rare circumstances of the impact caused the Model S to pass under the trailer, with the bottom of the trailer impacting the windshield of the Model S."

    Here's news for ya Mr. Musk it's not rare -- in fact its why we're required have those reflective strips of tape:

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  10. sdaniel

    sdaniel Road Train Member

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    The Google cars are crashing once every 18 months. If any one of us wrecked that often would we be driving ...
     
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