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Eugene

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45. Tesla driver killed while using autopilot was watching Harry Potter, witness says

Fri Jul 1, 2016, 04:14 PM

Jul 2016

Source: The Guardian

Tesla driver killed while using autopilot was watching Harry Potter, witness says

Sam Levin and Nicky Woolf in San Francisco
Friday 1 July 2016 18.43 BST

The Tesla driver killed in the first known fatal crash involving a self-driving car may have been watching a Harry Potter movie at the time of the collision in Florida, according to a truck driver involved in the crash.

The truck driver, Frank Baressi, 62, told the Associated Press that the Tesla driver Joshua Brown, 40, was “playing Harry Potter on the TV screen” during the collision and was driving so fast that “he went so fast through my trailer I didn’t see him”.

The disclosure raises further questions about the 7 May crash in Williston, Florida, which occurred after Brown put his Model S into Tesla’s autopilot mode, which is able to control a car while it’s driving on the highway.

The fatal crash, which federal highway safety regulators are now investigating, is a significant setback and a public relations disaster for the growing autonomous vehicle industry. Tesla Motors Inc’s shares, however, were down less than 1% on Friday in early trading.

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Self-Driving Tesla Was Involved in Fatal Crash, U.S. Says [View all] ErikJ Jun 2016 OP

I don't even trust the stop override cars. seabeckind Jun 2016 #1

Hear, hear. forest444 Jul 2016 #44

We still have a ways before we can build software that fixes the other driver's errors. n/t jtuck004 Jun 2016 #2

the irony is that we more-or-less already do.... mike_c Jun 2016 #3

That's their error, that they think a human can do better. On the other hand, we are still jtuck004 Jun 2016 #6

Unsupported claim. AtheistCrusader Jun 2016 #4

Tesla killed them scscholar Jun 2016 #26

It's not legal for the truck to turn left in front of another car at an uncontrolled intersection jtuck004 Jun 2016 #28

Where is it legal to turn left against oncoming traffic? jberryhill Jul 2016 #56

I think I'll leave the beta testing to someone else LiberalLovinLug Jun 2016 #5

Unitil theres no more incidents of people driving off bridges, into cornfields because google maps Kashkakat v.2.0 Jun 2016 #7

It'll be before then, Darb Jul 2016 #38

Tesla: Brakes weren't applied, so no skid marks, at least not before the collision progree Jun 2016 #8

He might have if he was driving normally. ErikJ Jun 2016 #10

Yup, according to this, Tesla cars with autopilot are far far from being self-driving progree Jun 2016 #14

That's all it took to confuse the computer? Shankapotomus Jun 2016 #16

Yep. Accurate object recognition is HARD!!! FrodosPet Jul 2016 #64

The American public being what it is bucolic_frolic Jun 2016 #9

Well they already have a better driving record than human driven cars. ErikJ Jun 2016 #11

I wouldn't take one as a tax-free gift with free lifetime auto and life insurance bucolic_frolic Jun 2016 #12

Lots of people said that about cars too 100 yrs ago. ErikJ Jun 2016 #13

I'm laughing, I get your point bucolic_frolic Jun 2016 #15

I am afraid that you will be in one sooner than you think. Darb Jul 2016 #39

Not if GM, Ford and the merchant prince car dealers get their way OwlinAZ Jul 2016 #63

Get back to me when you're 90 years old. mahatmakanejeeves Jul 2016 #36

That is true. OwlinAZ Jul 2016 #62

making numbers up is fun :) snooper2 Jul 2016 #69

I read it somewhere shortly before posting ErikJ Jul 2016 #71

Not for me. 840high Jul 2016 #31

Stupid human drivers penndragon69 Jun 2016 #17

my biggest concern with these self driving cars is.. olddad56 Jun 2016 #18

It would probably stop car jackers tho. ErikJ Jun 2016 #19

No jberryhill Jul 2016 #57

Dont they take the car usually? ErikJ Jul 2016 #58

Rapists don't steal cars jberryhill Jul 2016 #59

Let's look at the statistics struggle4progress Jun 2016 #20

Another article on the incident... PoliticAverse Jun 2016 #21

Radar has trouble detecting higher objects. ErikJ Jun 2016 #22

We are going to need transponders installed in every car. Hassin Bin Sober Jun 2016 #25

The space under a semi's trailer would not reflect RADAR Thor_MN Jul 2016 #37

Yes, but a driver's eyes would, if they were open. Ban self-driving cars. leveymg Jul 2016 #42

The radar signal bounces back from a higher object too high ErikJ Jul 2016 #46

Tonight, after dark, go outside your home. Shine a flashlight at the side of the building. Thor_MN Jul 2016 #47

Yes, I said if the truck is far enough away it would sense the bed. ErikJ Jul 2016 #48

You didn't read what I said. Are you able to see the side of the house or not? Thor_MN Jul 2016 #49

Maybe they have to increase the vertical vision of the camera then. ErikJ Jul 2016 #50

There is absolutely no way that a semi trailer is "too high" anywhere outside the braking range. Thor_MN Jul 2016 #54

Heres an article about the Tesla blind spot being above the windshield. ErikJ Jul 2016 #53

If you believe that the bottom of a semi trailer is taller than 6 feet, Thor_MN Jul 2016 #55

Subaru's Eyesight, assisted driving, whistler162 Jul 2016 #60

A Fatal accident is what did in Bucky Fuller's futuristic three wheeled car (1933 World Fair) FailureToCommunicate Jun 2016 #23

when his car was run into by another car. n/t uncle ray Jul 2016 #41

And so it begins. 7962 Jun 2016 #24

It was just a matter of time. BootinUp Jun 2016 #27

Except this wasn't one, so might want to rethink the idiot here whatthehey Jul 2016 #35

You will be rethinking that in a few years, Darb Jul 2016 #40

Well this is sad. The victim was big in the "Tesla community." He posted a YouTube video in April.. Hassin Bin Sober Jun 2016 #29

Darwin Award winner. nt bananas Jul 2016 #43

Try your self-driving car where I live. longship Jun 2016 #30

Maybe it was the fault of the truck driver Eric J in MN Jul 2016 #32

Well, it apparently was the fault of the truck driver csziggy Jul 2016 #33

Driver distraction MrsMatt Jul 2016 #34

Tesla driver killed while using autopilot was watching Harry Potter, witness says Eugene Jul 2016 #45

I still trust a self driving Tesla more than I do some of these non driving asses UMTerp01 Jul 2016 #51

Does Tesla's Autopilot Suffer From A Dangerous Blind Spot? ErikJ Jul 2016 #52

This is 100% the driver's fault, IMO Odin2005 Jul 2016 #61

Screw self-driving cars TheFarseer Jul 2016 #65

Technological progress shouldn't be halted simply because it will cost jobs ram2008 Jul 2016 #66

we'll see what you say when it's your job TheFarseer Jul 2016 #68

I would have to learn new skills to adjust to the new reality ram2008 Jul 2016 #70

If you're okay with 30K+ deaths per year, plus numerous injuries, plus traffic killbotfactory Jul 2016 #67

"Screw self-driving cars because the damn things will obey the laws"? Nihil Jul 2016 #72

Thanks for piling on TheFarseer Jul 2016 #74

Another One, from Michigan: Southfield art gallery owner survives Tesla crash Night Watchman Jul 2016 #73