40k people a year in the US die in auto accidents already, and we collectively pay for that. Now Tesla pays for it when humans make poor risk choices.
If you're watching a movie on Autopilot and end up dead, how is that Tesla's fault? Yes, Tesla should not be able to lie about driver assist capabilities ("full self driving"), but there is no perfect safeguard against humans abusing assist systems (Tesla puts interior cameras in the cabin now to detect attentiveness and alertness, and people complain about that). Will we simply pay out to next of kin of those who abuse safety systems and end up dead? If so, I guess that is the cost of progress in a system with human participation. If you exceed the capabilities of systems where life safety is involved, you'll die, and we'll all move on.
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jul/01/tesla-dri...
https://incidentdatabase.ai/cite/52/
> A Tesla Model S on autopilot crashed into an articulated tractor-trailer on Highway US 27A in Williston, Florida killing the driver, Joshua Brown. The trailer was turning left in front of the incoming Tesla, and the Tesla autopilot system was unable to detect the white trailer against the bright sky. Cruise control was set at 74mph and did not slow before collision. The driver had his hands on the wheel for 25 seconds of the 37 minute trip and was watching a Harry Potter movie when the collision occurred. Before the collision, the driver received 6 audible warnings that his hands had been off the wheel for too long.
If you're watching a movie on Autopilot and end up dead, how is that Tesla's fault? Yes, Tesla should not be able to lie about driver assist capabilities ("full self driving"), but there is no perfect safeguard against humans abusing assist systems (Tesla puts interior cameras in the cabin now to detect attentiveness and alertness, and people complain about that). Will we simply pay out to next of kin of those who abuse safety systems and end up dead? If so, I guess that is the cost of progress in a system with human participation. If you exceed the capabilities of systems where life safety is involved, you'll die, and we'll all move on.
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jul/01/tesla-dri...
https://incidentdatabase.ai/cite/52/
> A Tesla Model S on autopilot crashed into an articulated tractor-trailer on Highway US 27A in Williston, Florida killing the driver, Joshua Brown. The trailer was turning left in front of the incoming Tesla, and the Tesla autopilot system was unable to detect the white trailer against the bright sky. Cruise control was set at 74mph and did not slow before collision. The driver had his hands on the wheel for 25 seconds of the 37 minute trip and was watching a Harry Potter movie when the collision occurred. Before the collision, the driver received 6 audible warnings that his hands had been off the wheel for too long.