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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]

#231

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Autopilot would take over trucking even if it was no safer than humans under the current safety regime applied to human drivers, simply because it could drive nearly 24/7 without degradation, improving asset utilization.

I think you underestimate the ability of the trucking industry to poorly maintain automatic pilot systems.

Poorly maintained autopilots would still be safer than poorly maintained drivers.

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

#232
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?)

The SUV would have spun if it didn't hit the crash barrier.

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

#233

I think this accident could've been entirely avoided had the small pink hatchback been a Tesla. My read on what happened here is that the pink car was making a passing maneuver, and just as the pink car driver checked their right-side mirror/blind-spot and hit the right turn signal to get out of the passing lane, the car ahead abruptly stopped. That explains why the pink car drifted so slowly to the right - it wasn't…

Autopilot isn't even necessary. Any car with Forward-Collision Warning With Braking would likely have not gotten in an accident, or at least one not nearly as severe. Fortunately, many major manufacturers have committed to eventually making this technology standard.

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

#234
post #221
post #210

Yesterday, I was saying that autopiloted trucks would take over the long-haul trucking industries. This is why . Driver errors with semis on the highway kill thousands every year. This kind of technology will save lives - not just of the Tesla drivers (or other autopiloted drivers), but of the vehicles they don't hit.

My car, with myself and a friend inside, almost got ran over by a truck when the driver didn't even bother to slow down for the yellow light and crossed at high speed the red light. Luckily he didn't hit anyone. I totally agree with you.

I don't know your situation, but my experience driving big heavy stuff is that sometimes a yellow light does not provide enough warning to stop 55mph * crazy weight, and you sometimes find yourself with a dilemma of entering an intersection just after a light has changed, or a few seconds after the light has changed.

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

#235
I'm sorry but is everyone here sucked into the "reality-distortion field" that Tesla Auto Pilot seems to be generating? Nothing happens in this video that a competent driver wouldn't have done.

Detailed Explanation: In the UK part of the driving theory test is a "Hazard Perception"[1] exercise that test candidates awareness of hazards around them by playing short video clips and getting the candidates to click when they first spot a hazard they would need to respond to.

When watching the linked video I 'click' at 0:04 when I see the multiple brake lights though the car directly in-front. This coincidentally is when the Tesla responds with its audible warning.

The factors that lead to the Tesla not being involved in an accident in this video were not related to Auto Pilot but due to a competent driver: 1) Maintaining appropriate breaking distance from the car ahead to i. be able to stop in-time but without being tail-ended due to fast breaking ii. have 'thinking distance' to allow for slowed reaction timing 2) Watching the road ahead and noticing solid breaking of ahead vehicles though the directly in-front vehicle. There is NO AUTO PILOT MAGIC IN THIS VIDEO

I do not dispute that in other circumstances and perhaps other videos Tesla Auto Pilot HAS prevented and accident that a human would not have. This video is NOT such an example.

[1] https://www.gov.uk/theory-test/hazard-perception-test

Edit: Please see child comment https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13272626 clarifying my intentions with this post.

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

#236

I think this accident could've been entirely avoided had the small pink hatchback been a Tesla. My read on what happened here is that the pink car was making a passing maneuver, and just as the pink car driver checked their right-side mirror/blind-spot and hit the right turn signal to get out of the passing lane, the car ahead abruptly stopped. That explains why the pink car drifted so slowly to the right - it wasn't…

That's not what I got from watching the video. It looks like traffic was slow/stopped in the passing lane. You can see brake lights in front of the pink car, especially in the slowed down clip. The driver of the pink car seemed to be in the process of passing, but didn't pay attention to traffic ahead of them, and thus crashed into the SUV.

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

#237

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Yes, brake lights on the vehicles. I regret the confusion.

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

#238
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 not sure what you mean by "the car behind didn't show turn signal". If you're referring to the pink hatchback that ultimately rear-ended the SUV - the pink hatchback seems to be making a lane change to the right after passing. The driver seems to have signaled and looked to the right to clear his/her blindspot at the same moment the SUV ahead slams on the brakes. It really seems like bad luck, that traffic would…

At 0:00 the pink hatchback is well behind the car it's trying to pass. At 0:02 the brake lights of the SUV illuminate; the pink hatchback is still not quite caught up to the car it's trying to pass. Instead of braking, the hatchback keeps accelerating trying to beat the closing gap. No signaling at any time. Looks much more like bad judgment than bad luck.

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

#239
post #210

Yesterday, I was saying that autopiloted trucks would take over the long-haul trucking industries. This is why . Driver errors with semis on the highway kill thousands every year. This kind of technology will save lives - not just of the Tesla drivers (or other autopiloted drivers), but of the vehicles they don't hit.

Some were arguing yesterday that there'd be a strong negative emotional response when a driver-less car causes someone to die. I hope there will be an equal and opposite reaction when people are saved by this technology.

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

#240

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A safer following distance is crucial too, fwiw. It honestly feels like 90% of the vehicles on the highway travel at insanely close distances to each other.

My mom got in an accident due to driving too close to the car in front of her. It caused me to really take heart to my Driver's Ed teachers word of wisdom to always leave enough space in front of you to be able to safely brake to prevent that. I wish everyone would do that. It also makes driving in traffic less stop-and-go

yeah i try to do that but then other cars just merge in between the space i leave in front of me and force me to be on their tail. meanwhile the guy behind me never leaves enough distance either. safe driving doesn't mean anything when others drive recklessly
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