Share This Post

After Tesla’s automated car was partially at fault for a fatal crash in 2016, safety investigators in the US have been calling on carmakers to ensure that more is done to keep drivers engaged even while their cars are steering themselves.

Since this fatal crash, investigations have been opened regarding two more cases involving Tesla vehicles. These investigations call into question whether enough has been done to ensure that automated cars are safe and that drivers aren’t misusing the vehicles.

 

Recommended: Vehicle Crashes: Statistics That Will Make You Think

Concern is growing over the automated car

There’s a level of concern over keeping people in automated cars’ attention on the road, despite the car driving itself. There’s also concern over keeping the drivers of traditional cars’ attention on the road and away from electronic devices. Brands such as Subaru have installed infrared cameras, trained on the cockpit, to ensure that drivers aren’t nodding off or distracted.

Driver monitoring technology, such as Geotab, is necessary even in automated cars. This would ensure that drivers are behaving responsibly even though they are not personally in charge of steering the car.

The problem with Tesla

The reason that so many crashes in automated cars seem to come from Tesla is because their cars are designed to only be semi-autonomous. There are some objects in its path that Tesla’s systems will not be able to detect. To counteract this, Tesla implemented sensors in the steering wheel. If the driver’s hands are found to not be on the wheel, then a warning is given, and then a second later, the car will begin to slow down.

Driver attentiveness is an area that requires a lot of thought from car manufacturers as we move towards automated cars. For more information about improving driver behaviour, get in touch today!

Contact us! 

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Get updates and learn from the best

More To Explore

Lone Worker

Loneworker systems

Feel safe with our checkpoint Lone worker system  The recent news about how unsafe our streets are and the increase in knife crime is worrying

Do You Want the best Tracking Solutions for Your Business?

drop us a line and keep in touch

Vechicle tracking for your fleet - SafeTrac Solutions

Quick Contact

Fill out the form below, and we will be in touch shortly.

"*" indicates required fields

Name*

Quick Enquiry

Fill out the form below, and we will be in touch shortly.

"*" indicates required fields

Name*
Best Method of Contact
Product of Interest
Can pick multiple