Another day, another moron abusing Tesla’s Autopilot. It’s one thing for these “bros” to have little disregard for their own safety. But it’s an entirely different matter when they share the same roads as my wife and children. My family didn’t sign up to be a part of Tesla’s beta software testing.
There have been too many documented accidents and deaths involving Autopilot to allow people to trust their two-ton machines to it. Even Tesla strongly admonishes their customers to keep their full focus on driving and hands at the ready to take over at a moments notice. The nasty part of autopilot is that it lulls you into a false feeling of security. When in reality, you need to be ready to intervene in that one instance when it’ll slam you full speed into a fire truck or a concrete pillar.
It’s high time that communities and policing authorities treat the abuse of Autopilot similar to drunk driving. That means their car is impounded and loss of license if transgressions continue.
The law doesn’t take drunk driving lightly due to the severe consequences that can result. And the similarities between drunk driving and abusing Autopilot are great. Both involve potentially losing control of your car due to a failure to react. And both involve a conscious decision by the driver in advance. Abusing Autopilot can’t be compared to getting distracted by a crying baby or changing the radio station. Unlike getting distracted by a crying baby, drinking to excess or eating chicken sandwiches is a conscious decision made prior to any disaster.
The authorities have decided that severe consequences are necessary to help people to make the right decision when faced with a choice. Apparently, abusing Autopilot is going to require a similar treatment by the law. Just like drunks who say that they aren’t putting anyone in danger, these Tesla drivers seem oblivious to the potential danger which they and those around them are put in.
If Tesla refuses to reign them in, and these drivers refuse to stop abusing the software, then the government has no choice. It’s now time to start imposing a combination of punishments which include impounding vehicles, hefty fines, jail time, and loss of driving privileges. Maybe that will get them to stop gambling with the control of their vehicles around our families.
It’s high time that communities and policing authorities treat the abuse of Autopilot similar to drunk driving. That means their car is impounded and loss of license if transgressions continue.
The law doesn’t take drunk driving lightly due to the severe consequences that can result. And the similarities between drunk driving and abusing Autopilot are great. Both involve potentially losing control of your car due to a failure to react. And both involve a conscious decision by the driver in advance. Abusing Autopilot can’t be compared to getting distracted by a crying baby or changing the radio station. Unlike getting distracted by a crying baby, drinking to excess or eating chicken sandwiches is a conscious decision made prior to any disaster.
The authorities have decided that severe consequences are necessary to help people to make the right decision when faced with a choice. Apparently, abusing Autopilot is going to require a similar treatment by the law. Just like drunks who say that they aren’t putting anyone in danger, these Tesla drivers seem oblivious to the potential danger which they and those around them are put in.
If Tesla refuses to reign them in, and these drivers refuse to stop abusing the software, then the government has no choice. It’s now time to start imposing a combination of punishments which include impounding vehicles, hefty fines, jail time, and loss of driving privileges. Maybe that will get them to stop gambling with the control of their vehicles around our families.
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