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Comment by abalone | Hacker News Reader

I counted 30 seconds of being stuck behind the unloading van with no way to pass without crossing double yellow. I didn't notice the autonomous green light turn off though. Possibly the algorithm is, if you're stuck then certain rules become flexible.

Worth mentioning, 30 seconds would feel like an eternity inside a car.

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I assumed the "autonomous green light" was added in post-production, along with the timer and the company logo.

Google had another crash last month.[1] As usual, it was probably the other driver's fault. Other driver apparently botched a left turn in a two-lane left turn intersection at Rengsdorf and El Camino. Google drives in traffic on the SF peninsula every day, and we know exactly how many times they've crashed. It's reassuring seeing all those miles with only the occasional fender-bumper. It's not like Tesla slamming into something on a freeway at full speed. Three times.

Still waiting for the CA DMV to post the 2016 autonomous vehicle disconnect reports. Those cover December through November and are due Jan 1st, so DMV should have them up by now.

[1] https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/wcm/connect/3d358211-3f0c-430e...

> It's not like Tesla slamming into something on a freeway at full speed.

To be fair, Tesla is not selling a fully autonomous vehicle, yet, people are treating it like one.

And Tesla had encouraged that perception.

Tesla appears to be extremely clear to users as to the current state of the system. Have you actually used Tesla autopilot? What did you think of it?

It's called "autopilot".

Too many people, myself included, that's all that matters.

They need to stop calling it "autopilot" until you can get in and fall asleep in the back seat.

And you're a Tesla owner? Or you've driven a Tesla and used autopilot? Or you're considering buying a Tesla?

Airplane autopilot isn't designed to be used in the way you described. Should aviation rename that as well?

Pilots know that, but I bet a sizable portion of the passengers don't.

Can't you go theoretically go to the toilet on autopilot? It won't land for you, but while turned on it will keep the plane aloft until fuel runs out, no?

I don't know the answer to this, but it's my guess that at least the pilot or copilot must be at the controls at all times.

should be, but doesn't actually have to I guess. (still relatively empty up there, so not so much traffic to avoid)

Tesla was selling something which is marketed as being able to handle freeway driving under good weather conditions. It can't be trusted to do even that right. The "rams into vehicle stopped at left of roadway" feature is unacceptable. That's an expected possibility on a freeway. Users would legitimately expect auto-braking to activate for that.

Tesla's system has an order of magnitude or two of more miles driven than anyone else though, so I think it's unfair to speak of a higher risk based on current data.

wow, this document is redacted quite poorly

>> Worth mentioning, 30 seconds would feel like an eternity inside a car.

Would it, when the car is driving for you and you're free to putter about with a phone or laptop or book?

I always figured that this would be one of the greatest benefits of autonomous vehicles - perhaps the car isn't as aggressive as the human it's driving it would be, or as quick to get "unstuck", but the human won't care too much because they're too busy on their phone. In most cases, what's a few extra minutes when you're no longer actually driving the car?

I think you're completely right from a rational perspective, but I've definitely sat in the back of an Uber wishing the guy would drive more aggressively since I was running late.

The solution is simple. Screen a drag race across the interior windows of a self-driving car.

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