Tesla Recall: Are Utah Drivers Too Trusting Of Autopilot?

Tesla Is Recalling Vehicles In Utah Because Of This...

I have a brother Josh who lives in central Utah and commutes to the Salt Lake area three times a week on highway 89 through Spanish Fork Canyon and then on I-15. He owns a Tesla with the autopilot option.

Tesla offers two options, full self-driving where the car can navigate roads on its own and the lesser version, autopilot, that is a driver assist program. The second aims to help the driver who is still in control.

Tesla has announced a recall on all vehicles using the autopilot software because of government oversight that says it has resulted in accidents, a claim the company disagrees with. Auto pilot helps with lane assist and the distance between vehicles while requiring the operator to have their hands on the wheel and stay alert. 

“I trust it way too much,” said Josh. “It makes you jerk on the steering wheel, so it knows you are there. I can make it think I’m more alert than I really am.” 

He said it is so helpful while driving that he sometimes isn’t paying too much attention. This is exactly what the recall aims to solve. Tesla is making the software monitor more closely what the driver is doing. This will be done with cameras and sensors.

“I feel safer on the freeway than a two-lane highway,” said Josh. “The freeway has more predictable traffic that the car recognizes.” 

Many of the accidents have happened in conditions the software has a harder time with like heavy storms and roads with oncoming traffic. Josh said on a highway where deer might jump out in front of him, the auto pilot doesn't react as quickly. Truthfully, even very alert drivers struggle with deer on the road. 

If you are a Tesla owner with autopilot, you may want to look into the recent recall, just don't do it while you are driving.