Tesla’s latest self-driving update has triggered a 'rolling stops' controversy that started on Twitter and was picked up by the mainstream media. Tesla just recently reached a new sales milestone with almost one million units delivered in 2021. The company's two main strengths are its EV performance and its undeniable self-driving leadership. However, self-driving for Tesla has been a rough ride, with recalls, crashes, and strange incidents reported.
In October last year, Tesla released the 10.3 beta self-driving update only to pull it again a few days later due to problems when turning on red lights. Tesla is aiming to reach Level 5 of fully autonomous driving but is currently stuck in Level 2, requiring driver assistance and supervision. Tesla drivers can apply to test the self-driving beta, but progress has been slower and more challenging than originally expected.
Tesla’s latest self-driving beta version adds three profiles, Chill, Average and Aggressive. However, and as highlighted by David Zipper on Twitter, the Aggressive profile has raised concerns over a Tesla's ability to perform illegal rolling stops. In a reply by Digitalhen, it then became clear that even the less aggressive Average profile is capable of performing the same action. Rolling stops are illegal in most US states, with the action considered dangerous.
Different Tesla AI Driver Types
In a follow-up Tweet, Zipper called for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to look into the issue while pointing out that the job of the NHTSA "is to keep American road users safe - including those walking, biking, and using cars other than a Tesla." For rolling stops, also often referred to as California stops due to the action being considered a common traffic violation in California, police are known to issue two different tickets depending on whether it was a stop sign or a traffic light that was rolled through. If someone is harmed during this maneuver, the driver can be accused of negligent personal injury, which is a far more serious offense. It is unclear what Tesla had in mind when the company included rolling stops in its self-driving profiles.
The differences between Aggressive and Chill not only include illegal rolling stops, but also the possibility of more speed lane changes, reducing the distance between cars, crossing yellow traffic lights, and increasing acceleration in different scenarios. Tesla's decision to give its AI self-driving software different personalities is an interesting one, but also one that could raise new issues for the company. While there are certainly many different types of human drivers, to have different AI personalities driving around might not represent the safety standards that many would expect from Tesla's computer-based driver.
Source: David Zipper/Twitter