Tesla’s Autopilot system has instigated a revolution in how we consider driving, though it comes with a stark requirement- human hands must always be on the wheel. It is now a considerable nightmare for the safety regulators as they have noticed a growing tendency among drivers to skirt round this inconveniently simple rule using ingenious deadly ways. One of the most discussed tricks involves tying weights to the steering wheel-a method reputed to have allowed some Tesla owners to bypass the monitoring features of the system.
David Alford-a Tesla owner-told The New York Times Magazine: ”I know a couple of people with Teslas that have FSD beta, and they have it to drink and drive instead of having to call an Uber.” While Alford continues to do his best to remain attentive during such operations, his remarks shine an alarming light on sections of the Tesla user population willing to take advantage of technology for their convenience.
Launched in 2015, Tesla’s Autopilot has come under severe scrutiny after a slew of accidents.
According to a report released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 273 crashes involving Tesla’s advanced driver-assistance systems occurred from July 2021 through May 2022, accounting for about 74% of such incidents during that interval. To mitigate any risk involved, in 2016, Tesla introduced a feature that detects whether a driver places their hands on the steering wheel and disengages it if it senses a prolonged absence of contact.
The monitoring system is hardly infallible, though. The tests show that drivers have found pillows, oranges, water bottles, and other improper means to convince a vehicle’s computer that they have their hands on the wheel. The steering wheel weights have become especially popular now that Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology has gone from around 12,000 vehicles to over 400,000 within a year.
In November 2022, some members on the Tesla Motor Club forums indicated some users still managed to use these weights to trick the monitoring system. Despite the dangers, the temptation of hands-free driving has been too great for many. Safety experts are worried those may lead to catastrophic consequences.
Indeed, steering wheel weights have got into serious accidents. In one instance, a driver in a Tesla in North Carolina crash-landed into a teenager disembarking from a school bus, leading to massive injuries. In another incident, the driver of a car in Germany fell asleep while using Autopilot and eventually did a police chase at high speed. In both cases, the two suffered from the serious injury of being overweight on the steering wheel, raising a red flag with respect to the safety of the device.
Regardless of the dangers, the market for these weights continues to thrive. They are available in different brand names and can be easily found in online stores. Following reports of weighted steering wheels being used, Amazon and Alibaba took action to remove these items from their websites due to safety concerns. Nevertheless, the devices continue to sell on, and their demand shows no indication of abating.
Elon Musk hinted at potential changes to the Autopilot system. Perhaps drivers who exceed 10,000 miles will soon gain the ability to disable the steering wheel monitor. That promise has propped discussions among Tesla fans into the viability of the tech and what it might mean for driver safety.
Discussions on the weight of a steering wheel and the benefits of the usage thereof highlight a major controversy: the eternal conflict between technological innovation and safety. Tesla needs to work around the current issues, with this innovation promising to open new dimensions in autonomous driving; the associated risks of its systems have to be countered. The company attributes safety to its Autopilot technology: “autopilot is unequivocally safer” than conventional driving. The truth remains, however, it is ultimately the responsibility of the driver to be rational.
Though the temptation of a driver’s hands-off approach to driving is there, one cannot forget the danger in the absence of other safety features. Within this convoluted web, it is vital Tesla, as a company, and drivers, as its users alike, put safety ahead of convenience. Autonomous driving must never come at the ambitious goal of dancing around human accountability, and hence it is incumbent on all drivers to remain involved and attentive throughout the duration of these established technologies. Because the road to innovation never should have to sidestep the importance of safety.
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