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First tesla driverless death


Ozfactor

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http://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/motoring/the-first-tesla-driverless-death-has-happened-another-one-could-stop-driverless-cars-in-their-tracks/news-story/0ccb24206dc934fbad29ffb8809f0739

 

THE first person has been killed by their driverless car. Super bad news. Not just for the family but for the cause of driverless cars in general.

An American man was using the Tesla Autopilot feature on a highway in Florida when his car failed to see a white truck crossing the highway against a sky described as “brightly lit”. The car did not react and ploughed under the truck, tearing the roof of the car. The car spun across the road and the man — Joshua Brown, 40 — died at the scene.

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Apparently the technology has done the equivalent of 13million miles before this fatality.  The inaugural trip of Stephenson's Rocket killed a spectator who stood on the tracks (hope I have got my facts right).  It didn't stop train development, and we still get deaths due to rail accidents.  People died trying to get off the ground during early flight experiments and people still die in air crashes......

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I had a feeling something like this would happen.  Problem is in the name.  Auto Pilot should be called Driver Assisted Mode.

NY Times article has the Youtube video of the dead driver when he was previously driving in Auto Pilot mode:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/01/business/self-driving-tesla-fatal-crash-investigation.html

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did the driver fall asleep.  he had a brake and steering wheel.

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The car continued to drive for quite a while after the crash.  The car traveled “hundreds of yards from the point of impact, through a fence into an open field, through another fence and then avoiding a bank of trees before being unable to swerve and miss a power pole that eventually stopped the car a few feet away."

Another witness said that she was driving 85 MPH and was passed by the driver in the Model S.

http://www.roboticstrends.com/article/aftermath_of_the_deadly_tesla_autopilot_crash

Edited by little_dreamer
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From the article ( and news accounts )

According to Tesla’s account of the crash, the car’s sensor system, against a bright spring sky, failed to distinguish a large white 18-wheel truck and trailer crossing the highway.

My first thought after reading this was, "OMG, Tesla is relying solely on a visual system?"

That is, they use optical cameras, and if the "obstacle" visually looks like the surrounding area it just plows through even if it's a person, a car or a big-rig.

So, if you are walking across the street in an outfit that matches your background... you will be run-over????

Something is seriously wrong with that approach, and needs to be corrected.

Edited by pallidin
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50 minutes ago, jpjoe said:

Hope this negative press doesn't severely slowdown the tech's advancement.

I hear what you're saying, but actually it "should" lead to improvement.

Failures having occurred are crucial to responsibly understanding what needs be done in the future. Unfortunately a death was involved in this case.

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The video even explains that it is not designed to be completely oblivious to the actual driving. The guy was watching a movie and not paying attention. It's his fault only. I think I also saw aEULA when you turn on the autopilot. If that was then he agreed to engage in the dangers of it. Tesla should not be sued or responsible for it.

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