While autonomous driving cars may have been something of science fiction two decades ago, they are fast becoming a reality. Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology was released in 2020. Since then, it has come under fire for multiple controversial incidents. Currently, Tesla is in the news again for an investigation by the U.S. government auto safety regulator to investigate crashes which have occurred using the FSD technology.
An overview of Tesla’s autonomous driving cars
Since April 2019, Tesla cars have been built with software to support the optional FSD software. Older Tesla models can also be upgraded to support the software. Full Self-Driving will steer, accelerate, brake and navigate to a destination set by the driver. When the software is activated, the driver is not driving the car, however Tesla stresses that the driver must still remain alert and aware to takeover if necessary. This is not an opportunity to watch Netflix on your commute to work.
The driver is still liable for the vehicles actions even if FSD was activated when an accident occurred. CEO Elon Musk has been playing with the idea of autonomous driving vehicles as early as 2013. As of 2024, Tesla’s FSD has been involved in over 1,000 crashes and 33 deaths. The technology has been controversial since Tesla’s 2015 implementation of Autopilot with politician Dan O’Dowd even attempting to make a senate campaign for making FSD illegal in 2022.
Current investigation could affect five Tesla models
The current investigation by the U.S. government auto safety regulator could result in a recall of 2.4 million vehicles fitted with FSD technology. The investigation comes after four recent car accidents with drivers using FSD with one crash resulting in a fatality. The following Tesla models could be affected by the investigation if a recall was to happen:
- 2016 – 2024 Model S
- 2016 – 2024 Model X
- 2017 – 2024 Model 3
- 2020 – 2024 Model Y
- 2023 – 2024 Cybertruck
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) officially opened the investigation in October of this year when a Tesla using FSD mode struck down and killed a pedestrian. The investigation is intended to determine if FSD can safety and accurately spot obstacles and prevent accidents in conditions of low visibility. The recent four crashes of the Tesla cars all occurred in conditions of below-optimum visibility such as the presence of sun glare, fog, or airborne dust.
The controversy of self-driving cars
Autonomous driving systems like FSD are intended to reduce human error when driving to make the roads safer and more efficient. However, numerous critics have pointed out that self-driving systems like FSD need much more refinement to achieve better safety outcomes. Additionally, some have argued that the potential of FSD would only be achieved if all cars were implemented with this technology.
Other benefits of FSD have been its potential to offer inclusive driving solutions for drivers who are disabled and otherwise could not drive current vehicles. They also have the potential to create new forms of public transport where a human driver is not needed to drive the car and instead we could have driverless taxi systems. However, many people still remain skeptical about the future of systems like FSD.
The ultimate goal of autonomous driving technology like Tesla’s Full Self-Driving is to create a safer, more efficient, and more convenient transportation system. It aims to eliminate human error, reduce traffic accidents, improve fuel efficiency, and offer new opportunities for personal mobility. While the technology is still evolving, its potential to transform the way we think about driving and mobility is immense. The success of this technology depends on overcoming technological, regulatory, and societal hurdles, but if fully realized, it could revolutionize transportation in ways we are only beginning to understand.
