A US motorist has become the first fatality onboard a self-driving car, after the Autopilot function onboard his Tesla Model S apparently failed to react to a tractor towing a trailer crossing the motorway.
Driver, Joshua Brown, from Williston, Florida, died on May 7 this year after turning on the Autopilot mode in his Tesla Model S while driving on the motorway. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a preliminary investigation on 25,000 Model S sedans equipped with the Autopilot system.
According to Tesla, Brown was driving on a sunny day on a divided highway with the Autopilot engaged when a tractor drove across the road perpendicular to the Model S. Tesla said: “Neither Autopilot nor the driver noticed the white side of the tractor trailer against a brightly lit sky, so the brake was not applied.”
The Model S hit the trailer sideways, causing the windshield to absorb most of the impact. According to Tesla, if the Model S had impacted the front or rear of the trailer, even at high speeds, the safety systems on board would have likely prevented serious injury.
Telsa’s Autopilot was introduced in October 2015, and utilises a combination of cameras, radar, ultrasonic sensors and data to automatically steer down motorways, change lanes and adjust speed in response to traffic. It can also park the car autonomously.
However, when turned on the system reminds users that Autopilot is “an assist feature that requires you to keep your hands on the steering wheel at all times.” Drivers are also expected to maintain control and responsibility of their vehicle, even with the autonomous mode on. The system reminds drivers with audible alerts to keep their hands on the wheel.
Elon Musk, founder and CEO of Tesla Motors, has previously said Autopilot is twice as safe as humans. In a statement, Tesla said: “This is the first known fatality in just over 130 million miles where Autopilot was activated. Among all vehicles in the US, there is a fatality every 94 million miles. Worldwide, there is a fatality approximately every 60 million miles.”
The company added: ”Autopilot is getting better all the time, but it is not perfect and still requires the driver to remain alert. Nonetheless, when used in conjunction with driver oversight, the data is unequivocal that Autopilot reduces driver workload and results in a statistically significant improvement in safety when compared to purely manual driving.”
"The customer who died in this crash had a loving family and we are beyond saddened by their loss. He was a friend to Tesla and the broader EV community, a person who spent his life focused on innovation and the promise of technology and who believed strongly in Tesla’s mission."
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