This chapter explores recent analyses of Tesla's crash rate reporting, shedding light on how the company defines and categorizes crashes. It examines the implications of differentiating between autopilot and automatic safety features, raising critical questions about the true efficacy of Tesla's autonomous driving technology. The discussion delves into the complexities of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and the challenges in obtaining reliable safety data, emphasizing the need for regulatory and industry improvements in verifying safety standards.
Ever since 2016, when the first Autopilot crashes were reported, Tesla has been claiming that its Level 2 ADAS is safer than a human driver. Noah Goodall is a traffic safety researcher who has published some of the only peer-reviewed work on Tesla's safety claims, and he joins the show to discuss his work on this and other important road safety topics.