Autopilot saved Samek's life

93Regina · Post by **93Regina** » 01 Dec 2018, 10:40

It took seven miles to pull over a Tesla with a seemingly asleep driver

The driver was arrested for drunk driving.

The California Highway Patrol on Friday pulled over a Tesla Model S that was traveling down the road—but whose driver appeared to be asleep at the wheel. The vehicle was traveling southbound on Highway 101 in Palo Alto.

Officers said that they were unable to get the man's attention.

"One of the officers basically ended up going in front of the vehicle and basically tried to slow it down," a California Highway Patrol spokesman told KCBS radio. The process took about seven minutes, and the car traveled for about seven miles before coming to a stop.

The driver was Alexander Samek, who serves on the Los Altos Planning Commission. He was arrested for driving under the influence.

Post by **jimmy57** » 01 Dec 2018, 10:51

I'm waiting on the Tesla Auto-Pilot Model S with Iron Lung. Get in and hand over driving and breathing to the car. I think we already have artificial intelligence. It is people that think they are smart but are isolated in their own worlds.

93Regina · Post by **93Regina** » 01 Dec 2018, 12:44

jimmy57 wrote: ↑01 Dec 2018, 10:51It is people that think they are smart but are isolated in their own worlds.

Chances are, he had done this (autopilot mode) while sober....

Tesla's autopilot ignored the CHP's order, so Tesla will have to redesign its program. And maybe consider shutting down with intoxicated and asleep drivers. Maybe install a Murphy Switch that requires a human to override, every 5 minutes, with a changing passcode each time:-).

Post by **Rattnalle** » 01 Dec 2018, 12:56

Stopping by the side of the road with hazard lights on if the driver falls asleep seems quite reasonable.

I'm guessing this could have been worse in any regular old car.

93Regina · Post by **93Regina** » 01 Dec 2018, 15:04

Rattnalle wrote: ↑01 Dec 2018, 12:56Stopping by the side of the road with hazard lights on if the driver falls asleep seems quite reasonable.

In US, this would be unsafe, especially during night-time hours....someone could drive into rear-end of a parked vehicle on highway/interstate roadways.

Move over law in US attempts to reduce rear-end accidents....and for "safe clearance to law enforcement officers, firefighters, ambulances, utility workers, and in some cases, tow-truck drivers."

Post by **Rattnalle** » 01 Dec 2018, 15:14

93Regina wrote: ↑01 Dec 2018, 15:04
Rattnalle wrote: ↑01 Dec 2018, 12:56Stopping by the side of the road with hazard lights on if the driver falls asleep seems quite reasonable.
In US, this would be unsafe, especially during night-time hours....someone could drive into rear-end of a parked vehicle on highway/interstate roadways.

Move over law in US attempts to reduce rear-end accidents....and for "safe clearance to law enforcement officers, firefighters, ambulances, utility workers, and in some cases, tow-truck drivers."

Sure it wouldn't be perfectly safe but neither is sleeping drivers in today's rather unfinished self driving cars that require supervision.

93Regina · Post by **93Regina** » 01 Dec 2018, 18:53

Rattnalle wrote: ↑01 Dec 2018, 15:14Sure it wouldn't be perfectly safe but neither is sleeping drivers...

If this below is true....autopilot does this with his vehicle traveling at 70mph...there may have been a fatal accident.

Teslas equipped with Autopilot cannot drive themselves. The system deploys an escalating series of warnings if it detects that the driver does not have their hands on the steering wheel. If the driver does not respond, the system deactivates itself.
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Autopilot should be designed to deal with expected behavior....if above true, or if a driver has a heart attack, then turning autopilot off at 70mph represents an accident is coming soon...