Tesla’s Autopilot system may be the most advanced driving aid on the market but it still has a long way to go before being perfect. Case in point, this near-collision captured on dash cam.
Captured from a Tesla Model S with Autopilot engaged, the clip shows the moment an SUV in a slow-moving lane suddenly pulls out in front of the electric sedan, forcing the Tesla driver to take control and swerve out of the way.
The entire ordeal happens in a split second and the driver only manages to avoid the SUV by mere inches at motorway speeds. He says that if he wasn’t paying attention, Autopilot wouldn’t have even had the chance to react to the impending collision.
While it’s hard to expect such a new technology to be capable of avoiding such incidents just yet, the clip does act as an important example that the system still has a long way to come before being almost faultless and capable of avoiding near-collisions like this.
Additionally, the video underlines how important it is for Tesla drivers to remain vigilant behind the wheel, even if Autopilot is engaged. Remember, it is not a self-driving system but rather a driving aid.