New video of Tesla crash demonstrates the problem of semi-automated driving

Post by redox99 » Thu, Jan 12, 2023, 10:33 AM UTC

__alexs wrote: post #448

cm2187 wrote: post #385

From what I can tell, the car behind the tesla didn't crash into the tesla but stopped before. And so did the car behind that one. It is the cars after that that crashed into each others. While automatic cars doing random things is certainly problematic, clearly the cause of the crash here isn't the tesla, it is other cars not respecting minimum safety distances and not able to stop when there is a traffic jam ahead.

Suddenly stopping at high speed is generally considered (at least in the UK) dangerous driving and will get you prosecuted and probably mean you lose your license at the very least. If it results in a death then you can get a life sentence in prison for it. Intentionally stopping inside a tunnel is a pretty clear cut case of dangerous driving over here.

Post by progman32 » Thu, Jan 12, 2023, 10:36 AM UTC

Kon-Peki wrote: post #159

thaumasiotes wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem isn't that disengaging the system is difficult. The problem is that deciding whether to disengage is difficult. If you're catching up to a slower car, maybe you should disengage the cruise control. Or maybe you shouldn't. You can't tell. This means that cruise control goes from being something that relieves stress on you to something that causes additional stress.

Every single adaptive cruise control system I've seen allows the driver to set a follow distance that is far too short. For example, on my Subaru, 4 bars is really the minimum "comfortable, relaxing" amount. But if traffic starts to get a little heavy, 3 bars works a little better, but you do have to be more vigilant. If you are down to using 2 bars or a single bar, you had better be hyper vigilant. I can't imagine a…

Post by cowl » Thu, Jan 12, 2023, 10:37 AM UTC

Winsaucerer wrote: post #108

MBCook wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you watched the video? Its freeway speeds, a decently busy freeway, at a tunnel entrance that’s curving. Plus the car switched to the passing lane and abruptly stopped. This wasn’t going straight on a highway stopping in the same lane the driver was already in. I can understand how the conditions probably made it worse.

> Have you watched the video? Its freeway speeds, a decently busy freeway, at a tunnel entrench that’s curving. Plus the car switched to the passing lane and abruptly stopped. The Tesla car switching and abruptly stopping was a big problem, and I can understand that first car having trouble, but for cars behind the first one they should ideally all be keeping a distance ready for suddenly hitting the brakes in an eme…

Post by tpxl » Thu, Jan 12, 2023, 10:38 AM UTC

dkrich wrote: post #453

samwillis wrote: post #444

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The other day I was driving behind a car on a country road, he did an emergency stop to avoid a rabbit in the road. I avoided hitting him, I stopped about 2m from him because I was careful to leave enough space. If I had hit him I'm sure the insurance companies would have placed blame on me and it would have been my insurance that paid out. But ultimately it would have been his "fault" for doing something utterly unp…

This reasoning makes very little sense to me. Why drive assuming that it will be a rabbit most of the time and not a child or a deer or whatever you deem worthy of stopping for? If the possibility exists that a driver in front of you may stop suddenly why not always leave a minimum amount of space for a safe stop considering there is virtually no downside to doing so?

Post by progman32 » Thu, Jan 12, 2023, 10:42 AM UTC

randerson wrote: post #147

MBCook wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I also like it because without having to stay so heavily focused on my speed I can spend more time on situational awareness of the other cars around me than I would with traditional CC or no CC.

I use ACC even in short bursts when merging onto the highway or changing lanes. Turn on ACC, then look over shoulder to check blind spot without worrying about the car in front slamming on brakes while my head is turned.