Will Tesla's Problems Reshuffle Self-Driving Technology?

Tesla is facing frequent criticism over accidents caused by drivers using the automatic driving feature in its vehicles after repeatedly colliding with barriers, other cars and pedestrians.

Problems with the automated driving system in Tesla cars put the US company on a collision course with the top US vehicle safety regulator over technology that was key to becoming the world's most valuable manufacturer.

For some experts, this may be just a bump in a long road that the giants of the industry have been following for a while, but others feel that it will be a turning point to reshuffle how to employ innovative technologies in future vehicles until they reach the desired degree of safety.

Tesla faces frequent criticism over accidents caused by drivers using the automatic driving feature in its vehicles after repeatedly colliding with barriers, other cars and pedestrians, to the point that it has become the “black list” among manufacturers that adopt this technology.

And the decisions made by artificial intelligence to ignore the orders of drivers in self-driving vehicles are an obstacle to fully using this technology without intervention, because delays in addressing potential risks may cause disasters, which is what is currently happening with Tesla cars.

The concern about the use of these advanced technologies is explained by the fact that they are not based on data commensurate with human perception, given that decision-making processes are unpredictable and depend on probabilities, which means that the persistence of defects still dominates the thinking of specialists.

Last month, the US company founded by billionaire Elon Musk released a software update for its vehicles aimed at improving how its driver assistance system handles collision scenes, shortly after the US Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into whether its automated driving systems were defective.

The company took the decision to publish the update without doing the necessary experiments or even informing the safety authorities about the defects in the automated driving systems, as this step opens the door for the company to impose penalties on it and more scrutiny of its updates and the damage caused to the position of automated driving with potential car buyers.

What the 3, S, X, and Y models face reveals that automated driving technology is not based on data commensurate with human perception

The Auto News website quoted Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Automotive Safety in the United States, as saying, "The recent step taken by the US Traffic Safety Administration reflects the need for active follow-up when manufacturers address vehicle safety issues using software updates of any kind. Especially the ones that are sent live."

"In the absence of vigilant government oversight, companies like Tesla will tend to hide problems in overnight downloads rather than allowing regulators and consumers to fully examine proposed reforms in the light of day," he added.

There are many factors that led to these doubts, including technological gaps that still hinder the spread of this type of vehicle, in addition to some issues related to legal aspects as well as safety and security standards.

Since investigating the first self-driving Tesla car accident in 2016, the US Transportation Safety Board has recommended that Tesla improve measures used to monitor whether drivers remain engaged when using the automated driving system.

And Tesla made extensive use of torque sensors to detect if drivers were keeping their hands on the steering wheel. By contrast, General Motors' Super Cruise uses an infrared camera to ensure that drivers' eyes are always on the road. Today, it seems that the disasters caused by the automated driving system can no longer be ignored, and last August, the road safety authorities opened an extensive investigation. Driven by a series of accidents caused by Tesla cars. The investigation covers more than 760,000 vehicles, including Model 3, SX and Y vehicle.

Researcher Jessica Cecchino, vice president of the US Highway Safety Institute, believes that everyone will still see some accidents despite the ability of self-driving cars to react faster than humans. accidents occur.