Consumer Reports: Tesla Automated Lane Changes Are Risky
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Washington DC May 24, 2019; The AIADA online reported that a new automatic lane-change feature of Tesla's Autopilot system doesn't work well and could be a safety risk to drivers, according to tests performed by Consumer Reports.
The magazine and website tested "Navigate on Autopilot" and found it less competent than human drivers, cutting off other cars without leaving enough space.
The Detroit News reports that Senior Director of Auto Testing Jake Fisher said in a statement Wednesday that the system doesn't appear to react to brake lights or turn signals, and it can't anticipate what other drivers will do.
"It's incredibly nearsighted", Fisher says."You constantly have to be one step ahead of it."
Consumer Reports says automakers should be required to make public validated evidence of a new system's safety before releasing it on public roads.
The tests raise more questions about the safety of Tesla's Autopilot system and CEO Elon Musk's statement that Tesla will have fully self-driving vehicles ready sometime next year.