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Comment by zeroxfe | Hacker News Reader

I agree with the lack of compassion bit -- I think the messaging could have been far more empathetic. However...

> Uber made sure to point out that the victim of their incident was homeless. Tesla is pointing out how the driver received unrelated cues earlier in the journey. None of this information is relevant.

I don't understand how you can equate those first two lines. Uber's observation is clearly irrelevant, but the fact that the Tesla driver received multiple "get your hands back on the wheel" notifications, as close as six seconds before the accident seems very relevant to me.

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> the fact that the Tesla driver received multiple "get your hands back on the wheel" notifications, as close as six seconds before the accident

But that isn't what their statement says. It says the victim had his hands off the wheel for six seconds before the crash, and that he received hands-on warnings "earlier in the drive." It does not say that during those crucial six seconds he was being warned. Nor does it explain the fact the car plowed into a barrier.

”Nor does it explain the fact the car plowed into a barrier.”

This is critical. No matter how many notices you give, slamming into something at speed is the wrong answer. It’s almost unbelievable that they’re trying to use that as an excuse.

I'm finding it hard to believe the wording on this crucial sentence was so misleading by accident. Upon first reading it, the wording seemed a little off and seemed to me that the two statements should have been two separate sentences instead.

Even then, I fail to see how it’s relevant information.

I’m supposed to trust an “autopilot” that warns me six seconds before it slams me into a wall?

In their next statement about the next person they kill: 'The Autopilot clearly both stated in vocal synthesis and by displaying on the internal screen: "WARNING - I'll attempt to kill you in six second". Yet the driver did not manage to regain control against the rogue AI. He is clearly at fault for having died, and his family should be fined to recover the cost the the investigation.' :P

I'm willing (and almost hope) to be proven wrong on this, but I personally find it hard to believe that the ambiguity around this in the statement is accidental. A statement of this nature will have been extensively wordsmithed.

It seems that it was written in a way that confuses the issue intentionally.

>the victim had his hands off the wheel for six seconds

Actually it doesn't even say that, it says his hands "were not detected." Which means nothing to me.

@jVinc's post answers this. They didn't state specifically that he was warned six seconds before the crash.

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