Tesla’s “self-driving” program is a cause for concern

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Consumer Reports said that Tesla Inc’s “Full Self-Driving” software lacks protection, raising concerns if the system is used on public roads.

Launching Reuters, on Wednesday, the consumer publication cited videos posted on social media of drivers using it, raising concerns about problems including “the car losing its way, clipping bushes and driving into a parked car.”

Consumer Reports said it plans to independently test the software update, known as FSD Beta 9, once the Model Y receives the update.

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Tesla and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) did not immediately comment.

“Videos of FSD Beta 9 in action don’t show any systems that make driving safer or less distracting,” said Jake Fisher, executive director of the Consumer Reports Center for Automated Testing. “Customers are just paying to be test technicians to develop technology without adequate security protections.”

In April, Consumer Reports said its engineers were able to override the protections on Tesla’s Autopilot and get out of the driver’s seat.

Last month, NHTSA revealed that it had opened 30 investigations into 10 fatal Tesla crashes since 2016 in which advanced driver assistance systems were allegedly used.

Autopilot, which handles several driving tasks, is operating in at least three Tesla vehicles involved in fatal crashes in the United States since 2016, says the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

The NTSB has criticized Tesla’s system’s lack of protection for Autopilot, which allows drivers to keep their hands on the wheel for long periods of time.

Tesla said last week that eligible owners can sign up for FSD for $99 or $199 a month. Tesla said, “The currently enabled FSD feature does not make the car self-driving. The currently enabled feature requires an attentive driver, who is holding the wheel and ready to take over at any moment.”

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