A Tesla Cybertruck crashed into a pole in Reno, Nevada, while in Full Self-Driving (FSD) mode, raising questions about the safety of Tesla's autonomous technology. The incident unfolded as the vehicle, unable to merge out of a lane that was ending, collided with a curb before hitting the pole. Jonathan Challinger, the owner of the vehicle and a drone software developer from Florida, confirmed that the crash occurred in self-driving mode, intensifying ongoing debates about the reliability of Tesla’s advanced driver assistance systems.
Challinger took to social media to express his concerns over the potential safety risks posed by Tesla’s software. Despite tagging Tesla in his post, he declined to confirm whether the company had responded to his query. Notably, Tesla did not provide a comment to Reuters regarding the crash. Challinger’s experiences underscore significant issues with the FSD feature, particularly its nighttime detection capabilities, data mapping accuracy, and reliance on a vision-only approach.
Researcher Troy Teslike echoed these sentiments, stating that the Full Self-Driving feature does not appear prepared for driverless operation. This incident adds to a series of challenges facing Tesla, which has been under scrutiny following several crashes linked to its advanced driver assistance software. The company has faced criticism and investigations into the safety of its technology, especially after a fatal crash involving a Tesla vehicle in the past.
Despite these challenges, Tesla recently introduced Version 13 of its FSD software, which has been promoted as having significant improvements in safety. Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, had previously encouraged users to try the technology while advising them to remain skeptical. The Reno crash occurred shortly after Musk’s statement last month.
Challinger shared a poignant reminder on social media, urging drivers to stay alert even when using advanced technologies:
“Don’t make the same mistake I did. Pay attention. It is easy to get complacent now – don’t,” – Jonathan Challinger
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