Tesla plans to educate drivers following Autopilot crash
It would rather explain its self-driving features than turn them off.
Tesla doesn't believe that it should scale back its Autopilot feature in the light of a tragic crash in May. If anything, it's boosting its commitment to the self-driving tech. In a Wall Street Journal interview, the EV maker's Elon Musk has promised more education about Autopilot. There will be a blog post explaining both how Autopilot works and what you're supposed to do when it's turned on -- namely, be ready to take control at a moment's notice.
Unsurprisingly, Musk is also going to bat for Autopilot as it's pitched to customers today. He explains that the disclaimers for the hands-off feature are "super-plain," and that it's labeled as a beta feature for a reason -- so that you don't "become complacent" and assume that your attention isn't necessary. The CEO contends that, "on balance," Autopilot is safer.
Whether or not the efforts will be enough is another matter. After all, it's not as if every Tesla owner will read the company's blog or take its warnings seriously. It may need more explicit in-car alerts to prevent drivers from abusing Autopilot, especially while it's still considered a beta.
