Safety on Autopilot: The Pitfalls and Promises of Partial Automation

Waymo goes full PR campaign and gets some "journalists" to write that Waymo is safer than a human... without explaining that Waymo's data is like comparing apples to astronauts. Basically, Waymo is better than the worst human drivers on small subset of roads, at slow speeds in limited conditions. Maybe.

IIHS releases a study showing that partial automation is, at best, partially beneficial, DC doesn't enforcement traffic camera tickets, Fred explains 4 wheel drive. a Tesla semi catches on fire and Fisker tries to get out of paying for a recall.

This weeks links:

• https://arstechnica.com/cars/2024/09/human-drivers-are-to-blame-for-most-serious-waymo-collisions/
• https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/drivers-quickly-learn-to-skirt-limits-set-by-partial-automation-systems
• https://arstechnica.com/cars/2024/09/tesla-autopilot-and-other-assists-increase-distracted-driving-study-finds/
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/09/17/dc-child-struck-driver-tickets/
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2023/05/02/dc-traffic-tickets-driving-penalties/
• https://yakym.house.gov/posts/congressmen-yakym-carter-introduce-legislation-to-end-roadside-deaths-involving-disabled-vehicles
• https://www.thedrive.com/news/as-if-it-couldnt-get-worse-for-fisker-owners-now-they-have-to-pay-for-recalls
• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/tesla-semi-fire-required-50-000-gallons-of-water-to-extinguish/ar-AA1qvY7l
• https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V649-7005.PDF
• https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2024/INOA-PE24025-19754.pdf