Buzz
Tesla has labeled the suite of driver assistance features equipped in their vehicles as Autopilot for several years. They also sell a $15,000 package called 'Full Self-Driving Capability' to users, promising it will enable full autonomous driving when the technology is ready. In other words, as of now, Tesla has never sold a fully autonomous vehicle. However, Tesla drivers seem to think otherwise.The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently released findings from a study indicating that 43% of 202 Tesla drivers believe their vehicles can fully self-drive. In comparison, for Cadillac drivers with Super Cruise (a hands-free highway driving system with pre-mapped routes), 53% believe their cars can self-drive. This figure drops to 12% for Nissan or Infiniti drivers with ProPilot Assist.
Recent data from NHTSA reveals Tesla as the manufacturer involved in the most accidents stemming from driver-assist systems. Indeed, Tesla's Autopilot is a Level 2 automation technology, not full self-driving. Tesla has faced criticism for not clearly communicating to customers that their vehicles do not support fully autonomous driving, and the latest data from IIHS perhaps most clearly underscores that.From another angle, it's evident that over half of Tesla users are aware of their vehicle's capabilities, but the remaining 43% still represents a significant number. This subset with misconceptions may engage in risky behaviors, such as neglecting the 'self-driving' car and using their phones, sightseeing, or even dozing off. This poses significant safety risks and has led to numerous collisions while the vehicle is in Autopilot mode.Source: roadandtrack
