Self-driving cars are all the rage these days and technology is progressing rapidly.
Companies like Tesla have invested heavily in technology; more and more people are getting behind the wheel of vehicles that drive themselves.
Whereas, recently we saw just how dangerous that can be after a massive pile-up in California. Here’s what happened…
Eight-Car Pileup in California
Video footage shows an awful eight-car pileup on the San Francisco Bridge which happened because of a self-driving car.
The Tesla vehicle changed lanes suddenly and then hit the brakes, causing a massive accident. This self-driving feature is supposed to keep people safe, but instead, it injured kids and almost got a lot of people killed.
It pulled across and braked in front of a car, causing the pileup. Nine people got hurt in this incident; this included a small kid of only two!
As you can see in the video footage, none of this should have happened at all, if not for this “smart” car malfunctioning so badly and suddenly.
I obtained surveillance footage of the self-driving Tesla that abruptly stopped on the Bay Bridge, resulting in an eight-vehicle crash that injured 9 people including a 2 yr old child just hours after Musk announced the self-driving feature.
Full story: https://t.co/LaEvX9TzxW pic.twitter.com/i75jSh2UpN
— Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) January 10, 2023
Under Investigation
This accident is being investigated; it’s far from the only one involving a Tesla. Owner Elon Musk, who recently bought Twitter, said self-driving technology will now be an option for anyone who wants it in the US and Canadian markets.
There have been many people who complained about their Teslas suddenly braking without a good reason; in fact, there have been over 100 such problems reported in the past few months.
The self-driving package technically costs $15,000 extra and is available on request.
According to preliminary reports, the driver in San Francisco should have taken over and driven the car by hand at the moment that the self-driving system started making mistakes.
However, that’s exactly the issue.
When you’re in a car that drives itself, you often do other things and focus on other matters, such as typing out a work email or checking your texts. If you have to be on immediate standby the whole time, then what’s the difference of just not having the self-driving option?
The bottom line is that there’s no real point in having self-driving cars if they don’t actually work properly and can’t be consistently trusted.
Today’s shot/chaser. Same day. The eight car pileup that injured children of course caused by a Tesla using FSD on the Bay Bridge in SF that randomly lane changed and suddenly braked. pic.twitter.com/kLG2UD0ftQ
— Tom Hearden (@followtheh) January 10, 2023
The Bottom Line
As noted, this is far from the first problem involving Tesla vehicles recently, including the self-braking issue.
In terms of serious problems, a Tesla smashed into a building earlier this year causing $348,000 in damages; another smashed a $1.8 million jet when its owner tried to call it to drive up, causing massive damage.
There’s a lot of work to do before this technology is trusted and safe! Self-driving technology still has a long way to go. Make sure you don’t blindly trust technology without also taking a look at the downsides.
This article appeared in StatesmanPost and has been published here with permission.
