Tesla Won't Disable Autopilot Despite Fatal Crash
Tesla’s Autopilot feature can’t stay out of the news.
Following the first fatal accident involving a Tesla Model S with Autopilot activated, there has been a slew of accusations that the self-driving technology is to blame for other Tesla accidents. Although Autopilot hasn’t been confirmed as the culprit for the other accidents, it is now part of an ongoing investigation by NHTSA to determine if Autopilot is truly safe to use.
Despite all the controversy surrounding the technology, Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed that the American automaker has no plans of disabling the feature to Tesla owners, but will instead work to better educate the customers on its functionality, and more importantly, its limitations.
SEE ALSO: Tesla Under SEC Investigation for Not Disclosing Fatal Autopilot Crash to Investors
Tesla advertises its Autopilot as a “beta” feature and it has been the center of discussion as to whether it’s responsible to beta test such a feature on a production care. Still, the company remains adamant that self-driving cars is the way of the future and at the end of the day, the technology can help save lives on public roadways.
It remains to be seen what will come as a result of NHTSA’s investigation, but it will be interesting if regulations concerning autonomous technologies gets fast-tracked as a result.
[Source: The Wall Street Journal]
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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Insurance companies are the ones who get the final say. If they don't like something, they raise rates or refuse to insure.