I will repeat, regardless of what the (erroneous) claims are by Tesla, a driver is still responsible.

This is like those automated bill payment systems. Sure, they are automated, and the company promotes it as “easy” and “convenient”, but you’re still responsible if those bills don’t get paid for whatever reason.

From another report:

While driving, McGee dropped his mobile phone that he was using and scrambled to pick it up. He said during the trial that he believed Enhanced Autopilot would brake if an obstacle was in the way. His Model S accelerated through an intersection at just over 60 miles per hour, hitting a nearby empty parked car and its owners, who were standing on the other side of their vehicle.

Isn’t using a phone while being the driver of a vehicle illegal? And what the hell is was up with highway speeds near an intersection??? This dude can blame autopilot, but goddamn, he was completely negligent. It’s like there were two idiots driving the same vehicle that day.

Absolutely. I hope he and the company burn in hell, but I do not want to start giving drivers who kill people a free pass to say “well, it was the car’s fault!”

“Autopilot”, especially in Tesla cars, is beta software at best, and this feature should never have been allowed to be used on public roads. In that sense, the transportation ministry that’s allowed it also has blood on their hands.

Yes, false advertising for sure. But the responsibility for safe driving, is on the driver, even if the driver’s role is engaging autopilot.

I can only imagine the same applies in other circumstances where autopilot is an option: planes, boats, drones, etc.

Good that the car manufacturer is also being held accountable.

But…

In 2019, George McGee was operating his Tesla Model S using Autopilot when he ran past a stop sign and through an intersection at 62 mph then struck a pair of people stargazing by the side of the road. Naibel Benavides was killed and her partner Dillon Angulo was left with a severe head injury.

That’s on him. 100%

McGee told the court that he thought Autopilot “would assist me should I have a failure or should I miss something, should I make a mistake,”

Stop giving stupid people the ability to control large, heavy vehicles! Autopilot is not a babysitter, it’s supposed to be an assistive technology, like cruise control. This fucking guy gave Tesla the wheel, and that was a choice!

Oh, just wait. AI will all be tweaked to sell you shit.

It’s only a matter of time before product placement in AI generated photos and videos becomes a thing, too.