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Tesla footage of braking before crash ahead [video]

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Re: Tesla footage of braking before crash ahead [video]

#192

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the consequences of this would be too significant for Tesla to silently implement. Given an unavoidable rear crash, it could cause a multi-car accident and increase the collision's severity relative to braking.

I was discussing the case of an avoidable rear crash. Vehicle approaching from rear, either not beginning to slow by a minimum expected distance, or slowing, but with apparently insufficient space to come to a stop. Space in front, allowing for safe acceleration. Seems logical to move out of the way, and I don't see any reason why it would increase the chances of a multi-car accident.

Sometimes it would misjudge an avoidable crash, though. When an accident includes a vehicle in front, the middle car is oftentimes liable for following too closely. It might seem logical, but that "safe acceleration" could cause a pileup, and push it into an intersection for example.

Re: Tesla footage of braking before crash ahead [video]

#194

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks, the first part is also in the closed captioning if you click the CC button on the video. Edit: just the first part of what the guy says- not the part about being a doctor from the woman.

Oh sorry, I was not aware of that. I always disable subtitles because I find them annoying.

If you have the ability, I believe youtube lets you contribute subtitles (both for the transcript and the translation) directly to the video.

It might help if you are willing and have the time (and it's enabled).

I'm not sure how to go about it though...

Re: Tesla footage of braking before crash ahead [video]

#195

One of the main causes of accidents are vehicles left on the road and other vehicles impacting them or the people as they take for granted that traffic will be fluid and are distracted or whatever. You should never leave your children and family on a car on the left lane while you leave, never. I have a neighbor that is paraplegic because of that. His entire family went to the hospital after a vehicle crashed from be…

at some point there is going to be cars stopped in the road right? or is every car on the freeway behind the car accident suppose to pull off the road? they clearly said in dutch to wait and see what the traffic behind is doing.

I still think they should have tried to safely move to the shoulder like the other vehicles, although in their position they can keep their hazards on -- and traffic has already jammed behind them so they'll be visible. The best option would be to move and then go back with road flares, but very few people just carry those in their cars.

Re: Tesla footage of braking before crash ahead [video]

#196
post #67

This is great video to study on many levels beyond self-driving car. Some observations: * The car behind didn't show turn signal so probably driver wasn't paying attention. * A small car escaping with not too much damage while SUV rolls over many times * From physics point of view, the car behind produced almost perfect torque that started horizontal spin on SUV * Collisions with barrier at high speed can produce lot…

The biggest thing I noticed was just how easily SUV's flip over. This has been a problem forever I'm just surprised that regulators don't take more notice of it. Rollovers are far more likely to result in injury or death. Most cars just don't flip, all the traction their tires have is simply not enough to do it on flat ground. Yeah anything could flip over once you go off the road but the SUV in this looks like a rol…

I've seen a crash that was very similar. A tiny car hit the rear bumper of a SUV, on the right half, not really even a hard hit. The SUV got turned to the left and hit the slightly raised center of the road (maybe 10 cm high?) and spun and slid on its roof. Everybody was okay in the end.

Re: Tesla footage of braking before crash ahead [video]

#197

This is exactly how Elon described the system. Forward looking radar now bounces radar under car in front, getting back location of 2nd car in front, and responding to sudden braking etc.

Exactly so. The Tesla Model S dashboard display shows the car in front, and the car in front of that. The little car cartoon goes blue when that car is controlling the speed of the Tesla, and red when that car is causing an emergency stop. I've seen this happen, thankfully without the crash and rollover, in my car (Model S). My car has stopped when the second car in front decelerated fast. This kind of forward-lookin…

When you say stoplights, do you mean brake lights? Brake lights are on the rear of a car, stoplights control an intersection.

Re: Tesla footage of braking before crash ahead [video]

#198
post #2

I thought this an interesting video when Elon retweeted it. Basically the car is responding faster than the people do and keeping things from escalating. That said, having been on 101 when the cars in front start dancing like that I have to say my biggest worry isn't stopping in time its having someone behind me not stop.

The car responding faster allows for a less steep braking, which makes a rear-end less likely as the car behind you has more time to react (even assuming it doesn't have auto-pilot).

This is why I always try to brake early and long. Nothing annoys me more than drivers leaving it to the very last second, giving the person behind them as little time to react as possible.

Re: Tesla footage of braking before crash ahead [video]

#199
post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a commonly known problem of SUVs, their center of gravity is a lot higher so they're a lot easier to flip over. That's why I'm puzzled by people who buy urban SUVs, that is, jeep-like cars that they never intend to use off-road.

People like the visibility from sitting higher. Also, "bigger = safer" is a common thought process.

Also people get old and want a car that they can get in and out of without having to lift/drop their own centre of gravity.

Re: Tesla footage of braking before crash ahead [video]

#200
post #67

This is great video to study on many levels beyond self-driving car. Some observations: * The car behind didn't show turn signal so probably driver wasn't paying attention. * A small car escaping with not too much damage while SUV rolls over many times * From physics point of view, the car behind produced almost perfect torque that started horizontal spin on SUV * Collisions with barrier at high speed can produce lot…

I'm feeling rather dumb, but can't really intuitively understand the physics here. I see a small car hitting a pretty huge one and yet spins the huge one several times. I always thought those bigger cars are safer / stronger / more resistant to hits? Is it purely because it hit it at the corner, so all the force went into the "spinning axis"? (did I say I feel dumb?)

Take two cereal boxes. Put one flat and the other on its end. Smack the flat one into the tall one. Which one begins to roll? This is severely exaggerated but you get the idea of what's happening between the car and SUV.
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