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发帖数: 20761 | 1 Tesla driver killed in crash with Autopilot active, NHTSA investigating
By Jordan Golson on June 30, 2016 04:42 pm Email @jlgolson
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A Tesla Model S with the Autopilot system activated was involved in a fatal
crash, the first known fatality in a Tesla where Autopilot was active. The
company revealed the crash in a blog post posted today and says it informed
the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the
incident, which is now investigating.
The accident occurred on a divided highway in central Florida when a tractor
trailer drove across the highway perpendicular to the Model S. Neither the
driver — who Tesla notes is ultimately responsible for the vehicle’s
actions, even with Autopilot on — nor the car noticed the big rig or the
trailer "against a brightly lit sky" and brakes were not applied. In a tweet
, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that the vehicle's radar didn't help in this case
because it "tunes out what looks like an overhead road sign to avoid false
braking events."
Because of the high ride-height of the trailer, as well as its positioning
across the road, the Model S passed under the trailer and the first impact
was between the windshield and the trailer. Tesla writes that if the car had
impacted the front or rear of the trailer, even at high speed, the car’s
safety systems "would likely have prevented serious injury as it has in
numerous other similar incidents."
"AUTOPILOT IS GETTING BETTER ALL THE TIME, BUT IT IS NOT PERFECT AND STILL
REQUIRES THE DRIVER TO REMAIN ALERT."
The accident occurred May 7th in Williston, Florida with 40-year-old Ohio
resident Joshua Brown driving. The truck driver was not injured.
Tesla says Autopilot has been used for more than 130 million miles, noting
that, on average, a fatality occurs every 94 million miles in the US and
every 60 million miles worldwide. The NHTSA investigation, Tesla says, is a
"preliminary evaluation" to determine if the Autopilot system was working
properly, which can be a precursor to a safety action like a recall.
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Elon Musk ✔ @elonmusk
Our condolences for the tragic loss https://www.teslamotors.com/blog/tragic-
loss …
4:53 PM - 30 Jun 2016
A Tragic Loss
We learned yesterday evening that NHTSA is opening a preliminary evaluation
into the performance of Autopilot during a recent fatal crash that occurred
in a Model S. This is the first known fatality...
teslamotors.com
1,067 1,067 Retweets 2,290 2,290 likes
In the blog post, Tesla reiterates that customers are required to agree that
the system is in a "public beta phase" before they can use it, and that the
system was designed with the expectation that drivers keep their hands on
the wheel and that the driver is required to "maintain control and
responsibility for your vehicle." Safety-critical vehicle features rolled
out in public betas are new territory for regulators, and rules haven't been
set.
THE FIRST FATALITY IN AN TESLA IN AUTOPILOT MODE
Some autonomous driving experts have criticized Tesla for introducing the
Autopilot feature so early, with a Volvo engineer saying the system "gives
you the impression that it's doing more than it is." In other words, the car
handles most situations so smoothly that drivers are lead to believe that
the car can handle any situation it might encounter. That is not the case,
and the driver must remain responsible for the actions of the vehicle, even
with Autopilot active. Several automakers working on systems similar to
Autopilot — GM with Super Cruise, for instance — have only tested the
feature privately and have said they won't deploy until they're ready.
Volvo has said that it will take full legal liability for all its cars when
they are operating in fully autonomous mode, and plans to launch a limited
trial of its autonomous Drive Me technology next year.
NHTSA issued the following statement to The Verge:
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation is opening a Preliminary Evaluation
of the design and performance of automated driving systems in the Tesla
Model S.
NHTSA recently learned of a fatal highway crash involving a 2015 Tesla Model
S, which, according to the manufacturer, was operating with the vehicle’s
‘Autopilot’ automated driving systems activated. The incident, which
occurred on May 7 in Williston, Florida, was reported to NHTSA by Tesla.
NHTSA deployed its Special Crash Investigations Team to investigate the
vehicle and crash scene, and is in communication with the Florida Highway
Patrol. 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 non-controlled access highway. The driver of the Tesla died due to
injuries sustained in the crash.
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation will examine the design and
performance of the automated driving systems in use at the time of the crash
. During the Preliminary Evaluation, NHTSA will gather additional data
regarding this incident and other information regarding the automated
driving systems.
The opening of the Preliminary Evaluation should not be construed as a
finding that the Office of Defects Investigation believes there is either a
presence or absence of a defect in the subject vehicles. |
