Why didn’t the Tesla car?

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Why didn’t the Tesla car?

The tragic accident of a self-driving Tesla car in which a driver died, shows the weaknesses of full – and part-Autonomous cars. And that means: the driver must not leave yet on the technology.

Recently it became known that a few weeks ago a
serious accident of a self-driving Tesla vehicle in Florida, a man’s life has cost. The accurate reconstruction of the accident scene by the authorities and also the clarification of the question of guilt is sure to take a few months. Nevertheless, it is clear that no sensor system can capture complex traffic situations, as well as a healthy man with all his senses. Some questions and answers about the accident and to Autonomous Driving.

What are the Sensors had the crashed Tesla S?

The vehicle had a
Radar as well as optical Sensors. The Radar detects reflective objects such as metal, Rock or Asphalt. The optical cameras to perceive the environment as a pixel cloud. From the movement of the points you calculate, if people run in the predicted path of the car, or whether vehicles go in and out.

What is it about the circumstances of the accident known?

It is known that the Autopilot was turned on, and a big truck is laterally retracted in the street. The Tesla S is probably hazards of unchecked of the page, under the trailer of the truck. The lower edge of the trailer struck the windshield of the Tesla. Tesla said in a
The blog post that the light conditions were unusual: The truck had a white side wall, the front of the bright sky just a little off.

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Why not have detected the Sensors on the truck?

It can at present only speculate. In any case, it is necessary to consider the two sensor systems separately. It is possible that the optics did not recognize the truck as such, because he has not lifted from the bright Background. Why the Radar didn’t see anything is more difficult to answer: it May be the middle of the truck-trailer was too high to be from the radar sensors, which are mounted in the bumper.

Why not braked, the driver?

The white with safety none. Tesla explained to his drivers that they must also pay in the case of the autopilot, the traffic is always full attention. The driver takes the hands off the wheel, there is a warning message and the car reduced the speed further and further, until the driver of the crossbar.

The Software of the autopilot was a Beta Version. In the case of computer software such versions are offered to customers in order to gain experience before the final Version comes out on the market. Critics have noted that this is not justified in the case of such a sensitive technique, maybe.

The University of the Bundeswehr experimented with Autonomous vehicles sensing their surroundings with a laser scanner.

What weaknesses have optical Sensors?

Optical Sensors have self-driving cars, a lot of tasks: to recognize traffic signs and traffic lights, pedestrians, children, animals and cyclists. But they can fail in poor visibility conditions. Just like people, you can be blinded by light.

In addition, fog, snow, heavy rain and darkness can cause the Sensors to detect everything correctly. Fierce Wind in strong leafy trees in the autumn can pose problems

There are in addition to camera sensors, the possibility of the environment by a rotating laser scanner to scan. However, these are installed in vehicles on the market.

What are the weaknesses of radar sensors

Radar sensors detect other cars and hard surfaces. Also, you may be confused by rain, fog, and snow, but not by light. This can be a curvy or hilly Roads entice a Radar to incorrect analyses. Driving the car, for example, in a sink or the street rises in front of the car, it may happen that the Asphalt reflects the radar signal. Then the car thinks: ‘A vehicle ahead and reduce speed – even when the road is free. Also difficult for the Radar traffic on a narrow country road it is difficult to assess oncoming truck. The enough already, a stunt.


What are the weaknesses of the car-brain

The most difficult at the Autonomous intelligent programming of the Auto-brain. When should it make the decision to brake or swerve? On the highway, where practically the only car and motorcycle drivers as participants in traffic occur, the streets are very wide and all in one direction, it is still relatively easy. In city traffic or on wooded country roads it is, however, very confusing.

Typical faulty decisions occur, for example, if there is oncoming traffic, Driving an oncoming car on a left turn lane and even on a unfavorable, winding road, this can lead to the Autonomous car ushers in a stunt. Something similar occurs when one of the other cars on the road, parked, but in addition to that, there would be enough space to pass. Maybe the Autonomous car stops.