Massachusetts Senator Edward Markey called on Tesla to change the name of the Autopilot driver assistance system because it could be misleading.
According to the senator, the current name of the feature may be misinterpreted by owners of Tesla electric vehicles, since turning on the driver assistance system does not make the vehicle truly autonomous. An incorrect interpretation of the name can lead to the fact that the driver deliberately ceases to control the movement, which is dangerous and can lead to the most negative consequences. The senator believes that the potential dangers of Autopilot can be overcome in the future, but Tesla must now rebrand the system to reduce the likelihood of driver abuse.
The senator backed up his statement with a video showing Tesla drivers possibly falling asleep at the wheel. In addition, there were cases on video when users said that the Tesla autopilot can be fooled by fixing an object on the steering wheel and making it appear that these are the driverβs hands. Recall, according to Tesla's instructions, the driver must keep his hands on the steering wheel at all times of the trip, regardless of whether the autopilot is on or not.
It is worth noting that the driver assistance system has been activated in at least three fatal crashes involving Tesla electric vehicles recorded since 2016. Because of this, questions have been raised about the ability of the driver assistance system to effectively detect and respond to hazards.
Source: 3dnews.ru