This chapter critically explores the safety assertions made by Tesla for their autopilot feature, discussing the challenges posed by misinformation and data transparency issues. It emphasizes the complexities of measuring safety for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including the significance of crash statistics and data collection methods. The conversation raises concerns over governance in research initiatives and highlights the need for improved regulations to ensure consumer safety.
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.