Autonomous driving software is a hot topic and none seems as polarizing as Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) tech. A new report suggests that it’s far more dangerous than previously understood but digging a little deeper, exposes more. An expanded view of the situation indicates that more research is needed.
The Washington Post says that it compiled data from the NHTSA that it believes “reflect the hazards associated with increasing use of Tesla’s driver-assistance technology.” That data is part of what the NHTSA collects about accidents involving vehicles with automated driving systems or advanced driving assistance systems.
Out of the 807 accidents included in the data provided by the NHTSA, 736 involved Tesla vehicles. Among those, 17 resulted in fatalities. It is important to note that Tesla recently expanded its fleet with Full Self-Driving capability, increasing the number of equipped vehicles from approximately 12,000 to nearly 400,000. It is crucial to clarify that these accidents are specifically associated with incidents involving driver assistance technology due to the cars being equipped with this feature.
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The Washington Post even spells out the lack of causation saying “NHTSA said a report of a crash involving driver-assistance does not itself imply that the technology was the cause.”
The NHTSA itself goes even further in its own documentation, strangely left out of the WAPO piece, which says “It is important to note that these crashes are categorized based on what driving automation system was reported as being equipped on the vehicle, not on what system was reported to be engaged at the time of the incident.
These 736 accidents might look rough compared to other automakers, but there’s no indication that Autopilot or Full Self-Driving was the blame. There’s also no accounting for however many accidents either technology might have avoided. Finally, most automakers don’t have a Level 2 driver’s aid in such a large percentage of their fleet.
It’s worth noting too that Tesla’s internal data indicates that it’s much safer than the average human driver. On top of all that, there’s little doubt that distracted driving is a problem for all those on public roads. Even the most ardent drivers can end up in a wreck when impacted by someone who’s not paying attention. In just 2020 there were 5,250,873 police-reported accidents. 807 is a tiny blip in that radar.
There is no question that the use of any Level 2 driver aid in any car is worth questioning. Humans are notoriously bad at paying the proper attention to such a system and reacting as needed. CEO Elon Musk’s decision to remove radar from Tesla vehicles deserves criticism too but for now, all of the data we have indicates that Tesla owners needn’t worry any more than those in other cars with Level 2 systems.
