Tesla’s Autopilot fails during live stream as car crashes, raising safety concerns

Beijing (The Uttam Hindu): Elon Musk's company Tesla, which boasts of its cutting-edge technology across the world, is once again facing serious questions about its 'Full Self-Driving' (FSD) technology. A shocking incident has come to light in China, where a Tesla Model 3 driver was live streaming to show the car's features, but this demonstration turned into a road accident. The driver's aim was to show the world how well the car can drive independently, but a technical error and human overconfidence led to a viral accident. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured in this collision, but it has sparked a new debate about the safety of autonomous vehicles.

The incident occurred last week when a user on China's Douyin platform was demonstrating the Level 2 driver-assist system on his Tesla Model 3. The video clearly showed that the FSD mode was active, when suddenly the car automatically swerved into the left lane, reserved for oncoming traffic. It collided with another oncoming car. Following the accident, the driver initially did not release the footage and directly sought compensation from the company, as Tesla often avoids taking responsibility for accidents caused by autonomous features. Later, the video confirmed that the system initiated the erroneous lane change.

Controversy surrounding Tesla's technology isn't new. The company's "Full Self-Driving" name has been questioned in both China and the US. When the FSD feature was launched in China, regulators advised the company to change its name, citing its misleading nature and misconception that the car can operate safely without human intervention. Despite this, many Tesla owners in China frequently perform dangerous stunts on platforms like Douyin and TikTok to compare their cars to domestic automakers and demonstrate Tesla's capabilities.

Tesla is facing similar legal troubles in the US. California authorities alleged that the company was misleading customers by using terms like "autopilot" and "full self-driving." A judge there recommended suspending Tesla's manufacturing and sales licenses, which has now been put on hold. This latest livestream accident in China has once again proven that no matter how advanced the technology, there is no substitute for driver vigilance and control for road safety.