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Reader Response Draft 1 (Assignment 1b)

Tesla’s web page on “Autopilot” (Tesla, 2023). describes how their cars operate autonomously along with a variety of features that complement it. Its main function is its ability to navigate the vehicle on roads by itself. Other functions include being able to steer and change lanes, enter and exit expressways and also navigate in confined and complicated environments.

Tesla’s cars achieve their autopiloting capability through 2 features. The first involves the 8 cameras mounted on the car, 5 of which are facing forward and the other 3 facing rearward (Tesla, 2023). The cameras altogether provide visibility of up to a range of 250 metres as well as 360 degrees around the car (Tesla, 2023). The second feature involves the car’s heavy duty onboard computer system. All the information gathered by the cameras are fed into the computer which allows the vehicle to respond in real-time. Additionally, Tesla claims that their current computer systems can handle up to 40 times the amount of data compared to their previous generation system (Tesla, 2023).


All in all, the autopilot system allows for an unparalleled view of the world that the driver themself might not be able to see. Therefore, Tesla’s Autopilot and Full-Self Driving (FSD) system, complemented with its assistive functions, advanced computing systems and camera sensors, highlights that Tesla’s cars are exceptional in their safety and convenience compared to Ford’s 


First and foremost, in addressing safety, some of Tesla’s cars are rated one of the safest cars. In particular, the Tesla Models Y was awarded the top safety pick for consecutively 3 years, in 2021 (IIHS, 2021), 2022 (IIHS, 2022) and 2023 (IIHS, 2023a). These awards were certified by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), an independent, nonprofit scientific and educational organisation (IIHS, 2023b). Case in point, a YouTube video by Insider Business demonstrated how another Tesla car variant, known as the model 3, was demonstrated to have impressive safety standards (Nguyen, 2019).


Moreover, besides being known for strong safety standards, Tesla’s autopilot is a strong safety standard in its own right. This can be shown in multiple cases where Tesla’s autopilot system seems to react immediately to dangers when they appear. In a video showcasing Tesla’s cars avoiding different accidents 


Secondly, Tesla’s cars provide a great level of convenience. 


However, despite Tesla’s best efforts, their autopilot system is not perfect and still requires additional work. In a YouTube video by Marques Brownlee titled, “Tesla Self Driving vs Everyday Roads!”, demonstrated that there were moments where the autopilot failed to detect certain objects such as cones on the road. This led to the need for driver intervention, which defeats the purpose of autopiloting. Moreover, failure to detect such objects at high speeds may also lead to serious implications such as injury to the driver and passengers. 






References

Primary Source: Tesla. (2023). Autopilot. https://www.tesla.com/autopilot 


Safety Sources: 


IIHS. (2023b). About Us. https://www.iihs.org/about-us 

IIHS. (2021). 2021 Tesla Model Y 4-door SUV. https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/tesla/model-y-4-door-suv/2021 

IIHS. (2022). 2022 Tesla Model Y 4-door SUV. https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/tesla/model-y-4-door-suv/2022 

IIHS. (2023a). 2023 Tesla Model Y 4-door SUV. https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/tesla/model-y-4-door-suv/2023 

Nguyen, C. (2019). Why Tesla’s Model 3 Received A 5-Star Crash Test Rating. YouTube. YouTube. Retrieved September 28, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il2jmMRgFV8. 

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