Tesla Autopilot danger from “passive vigilance” effect
NTSB warns that Tesla Autopilot induces passive vigilance effect that can distract drivers away from driving their car
Tag: Robocars
Pandemics, like Coronavirus, and our RoboTaxi-driven autonomous future
The big news right now is the Coronavirus outbreak that began in China last fall. CoVID-19 as it is more formally known is a relatively highly infectious disease, that the human population has no immunity against, and a relatively high (2%) mortality rate. Given those figures, governments around the world…
Uber test driver in self-driving car in fatality accident was streaming Hulu
Last March an Uber self-driving car undergoing testing in Tempe Arizona struck and killed a pedestrian. Previously we had been told the “test driver” in the Uber autonomous car was monitoring output from the on-board monitoring system. Video of the driver, Rafaela Vasquez, shows that she was inattentive, spending most of…
Misplaced trust in driver assist (Tesla Autopilot) systems can cause huge problems
Tesla may be rushing too quickly with the autopilot feature, or else not doing a good-enough job of educating Tesla car owners on safe use of Tesla’s autopilot. In light of several crashes while autopilot was engaged, and reports by Tesla car owners of several modes where autopilot clearly does…
Rapid adoption of self-driving cars considered harmful, a plea for caution
Clearly folks are eager to have self-driving cars TODAY if not sooner. I’m seeing a constant chatter online of folks excited about the prospect of letting their car take over the driving chores. A few weeks ago, a new Tesla Model 3 owner giving a presentation about his newly-purchased car…
Chinese Model S auto-pilot crash says we shouldn’t rely on autopilot mode, yet
There have been several one or two fatalities this year of Tesla Model S drivers who were perhaps overly trusting the autopilot mode. In January 2016, well before the well-known crash in Florida, a fatality occurred when a Tesla Model S drove into the back of a street sweeper truck. Going by…
Tesla’s second master plan is the most audacious thing I’ve ever read – Musk has topped himself
Ten years ago Elon Musk posted the first super-secret Tesla Motors master plan on the company blog. It seemed that nobody remembered he’d done so, because the company is routinely attacked over making playthings for rich people when the plan all along has been to build the Model 3 (affordable 200+ mile…
Tesla Motors 7.1 software update a baby step to… an autonomous robotaxi service?
Along with releasing the Tesla Model S/X version 7.1 update, an online press conference was held this morning in which Elon Musk said some crazy things that might just become true. We have to wonder if some of the things which are possible are in fact desirable. Namely – most…
GM, Lyft in joint venture, putting ride sharing drivers on notice — your days are numbered
GM has taken a big step towards offering autonomously driven robotaxi services, hinted in a press release in October 2015, by making a $500 million investment into Lyft. The companies pledged “a long-term strategic alliance to create an integrated network of on-demand autonomous vehicles in the U.S.” That investing $500M into…
Robotic electric race cars to race alongside Formula E during 2016-17 season
Self-driving electric robotic race cars will take the stage in the 2016-2017 FIA Formula E season. Called the ROBORACE series, it will be a “support” race to the main Formula E event. Where the Formula E series features electric race cars driven by humans, the ROBORACE series will feature electric race cars…
BMW’s oblique statements imply future autonomous car based transportation service business
In a statement today from BMW’s top management, the company said clearly – electric vehicles are the future. Oh, and “digitalization” meaning the integration of advanced computer systems and networked connections into cars. The statement by Harald Krüger is attributed to a quarterly conference call dated Sept 30, 2015. As we’ll see…
WARNING: Tesla Autopilot mode is not full autonomous driving, pay attention while “driving”
How good is the Tesla Autopilot feature? This feature was rolled out to Tesla Model S owners over the last couple weeks, and marks a large advance towards fully autonomous vehicles. Since then some Model S owners have posted videos of the autopilot system doing amazingly good things, and also…
Nissan’s IDS self driving concept car promises perfect future that may never happen
Yesterday, Nissan unveiled a bold new concept car fulfilling the “zero emissions zero fatalities” promise made a couple years ago. It’s an all-electric car with self driving autonomous features galore. Its story is told with an enticing image gallery and a series of video’s demonstrating usage scenarios that aren’t quite the challenges…
Nissan’s IDS self driving concept electric car – 2015 Tokyo Auto Show
Oct. 27, 2015 Nissan IDS Concept: Nissan’s vision for the future of EVs and autonomous driving TOKYO – Today at the Tokyo Motor Show 2015, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. unveiled a concept vehicle that embodies Nissan’s vision of the future of autonomous driving and zero emission EVs: the Nissan IDS…
Proposed law weakens pollution control laws, prevents researchers looking for Dieselgate-like problems
A draft bill (embedded below) being prepared in the US House Energy and Commerce Committee would increase the penalties for “hacking” cars, and gift automakers with an easy “out” on emissions control regulations. The bill focuses on reforms at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and while it contains a…
Pandemics, like Coronavirus, and our RoboTaxi-driven autonomous future
The big news right now is the Coronavirus outbreak that began in China last fall. CoVID-19 as it is more formally known is a relatively highly infectious disease, that the human population has no immunity against, and a relatively high (2%) mortality rate. Given those figures, governments around the world…
Uber test driver in self-driving car in fatality accident was streaming Hulu
Last March an Uber self-driving car undergoing testing in Tempe Arizona struck and killed a pedestrian. Previously we had been told the “test driver” in the Uber autonomous car was monitoring output from the on-board monitoring system. Video of the driver, Rafaela Vasquez, shows that she was inattentive, spending most of…
Misplaced trust in driver assist (Tesla Autopilot) systems can cause huge problems
Tesla may be rushing too quickly with the autopilot feature, or else not doing a good-enough job of educating Tesla car owners on safe use of Tesla’s autopilot. In light of several crashes while autopilot was engaged, and reports by Tesla car owners of several modes where autopilot clearly does…
Rapid adoption of self-driving cars considered harmful, a plea for caution
Clearly folks are eager to have self-driving cars TODAY if not sooner. I’m seeing a constant chatter online of folks excited about the prospect of letting their car take over the driving chores. A few weeks ago, a new Tesla Model 3 owner giving a presentation about his newly-purchased car…
Chinese Model S auto-pilot crash says we shouldn’t rely on autopilot mode, yet
There have been several one or two fatalities this year of Tesla Model S drivers who were perhaps overly trusting the autopilot mode. In January 2016, well before the well-known crash in Florida, a fatality occurred when a Tesla Model S drove into the back of a street sweeper truck. Going by…
Tesla’s second master plan is the most audacious thing I’ve ever read – Musk has topped himself
Ten years ago Elon Musk posted the first super-secret Tesla Motors master plan on the company blog. It seemed that nobody remembered he’d done so, because the company is routinely attacked over making playthings for rich people when the plan all along has been to build the Model 3 (affordable 200+ mile…
Tesla Motors 7.1 software update a baby step to… an autonomous robotaxi service?
Along with releasing the Tesla Model S/X version 7.1 update, an online press conference was held this morning in which Elon Musk said some crazy things that might just become true. We have to wonder if some of the things which are possible are in fact desirable. Namely – most…
GM, Lyft in joint venture, putting ride sharing drivers on notice — your days are numbered
GM has taken a big step towards offering autonomously driven robotaxi services, hinted in a press release in October 2015, by making a $500 million investment into Lyft. The companies pledged “a long-term strategic alliance to create an integrated network of on-demand autonomous vehicles in the U.S.” That investing $500M into…
Robotic electric race cars to race alongside Formula E during 2016-17 season
Self-driving electric robotic race cars will take the stage in the 2016-2017 FIA Formula E season. Called the ROBORACE series, it will be a “support” race to the main Formula E event. Where the Formula E series features electric race cars driven by humans, the ROBORACE series will feature electric race cars…
BMW’s oblique statements imply future autonomous car based transportation service business
In a statement today from BMW’s top management, the company said clearly – electric vehicles are the future. Oh, and “digitalization” meaning the integration of advanced computer systems and networked connections into cars. The statement by Harald Krüger is attributed to a quarterly conference call dated Sept 30, 2015. As we’ll see…
WARNING: Tesla Autopilot mode is not full autonomous driving, pay attention while “driving”
How good is the Tesla Autopilot feature? This feature was rolled out to Tesla Model S owners over the last couple weeks, and marks a large advance towards fully autonomous vehicles. Since then some Model S owners have posted videos of the autopilot system doing amazingly good things, and also…
Nissan’s IDS self driving concept car promises perfect future that may never happen
Yesterday, Nissan unveiled a bold new concept car fulfilling the “zero emissions zero fatalities” promise made a couple years ago. It’s an all-electric car with self driving autonomous features galore. Its story is told with an enticing image gallery and a series of video’s demonstrating usage scenarios that aren’t quite the challenges…
Nissan’s IDS self driving concept electric car – 2015 Tokyo Auto Show
Oct. 27, 2015 Nissan IDS Concept: Nissan’s vision for the future of EVs and autonomous driving TOKYO – Today at the Tokyo Motor Show 2015, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. unveiled a concept vehicle that embodies Nissan’s vision of the future of autonomous driving and zero emission EVs: the Nissan IDS…
Proposed law weakens pollution control laws, prevents researchers looking for Dieselgate-like problems
A draft bill (embedded below) being prepared in the US House Energy and Commerce Committee would increase the penalties for “hacking” cars, and gift automakers with an easy “out” on emissions control regulations. The bill focuses on reforms at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and while it contains a…
