Tesla, the leading manufacturer of electric vehicles (EVs), has issued a recall for more than 2 million of its vehicles in an attempt to address concerns regarding the effectiveness of its Autopilot system. The recall comes after a two-year investigation by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that Tesla’s system for monitoring drivers was defective and needed fixing.
The Autopilot system alerts drivers if it fails to detect torque from their hands on the steering wheel. However, experts have found this system to be ineffective in ensuring that drivers are paying sufficient attention to the road. Research conducted by the NHTSA, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and other investigators has shown that measuring torque on the steering wheel alone does not guarantee driver attentiveness. Experts argue that night-vision cameras are needed to monitor drivers’ eyes and ensure they are focused on the road.
Jennifer Homendy, the chairwoman of the NTSB, expressed concerns about the proposed solution, stating that the technology, including steering torque, was insufficient to keep drivers engaged. The NHTSA’s investigation revealed that out of 43 crashes analyzed, 37 drivers had their hands on the wheel before the accidents, indicating a lack of attention.
Experts agree that relying solely on hand monitoring is inadequate and propose using cameras to track drivers’ eyes instead. Some Tesla models already have interior-facing cameras, but they are not effective at night. Philip Koopman, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, suggests that Tesla should adopt cameras that have better night vision capabilities, similar to those used in General Motors or Ford driver monitoring systems.
Tesla’s recall documents do not mention increased use of cameras. However, the company’s software release notes state that a camera above the rearview mirror can now determine driver attention and trigger alerts if needed. It remains unclear if Tesla plans to limit the areas where Autopilot can be used to controlled access highways as part of the recall.
Consumer Reports associate director of vehicle technology, Kelly Funkhouser, reported being able to use Autopilot on roads that were not controlled access highways after testing a Tesla Model S with the software update. However, the details of the changes Tesla is making in response to the recall remain vague.
The NTSB, although only able to make recommendations, will investigate if Teslas that have received the recall repairs continue to exhibit problems. NHTSA’s communications director, Veronica Morales, stated that while the agency does not pre-approve recall fixes, they will monitor Tesla’s software and hardware updates to ensure their effectiveness.
Experts argue that Tesla needs to limit the areas where Autopilot can be used and improve its computer vision system to better detect obstacles in order to address the ongoing issues with the system.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
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