“How do you suppose they will behave?”
Not Harmful Sufficient
Tesla homeowners are utilizing low-cost steering wheel weights to trick their automobiles into considering they’re protecting their eyes on the street.
In line with a report from The Washington Post, the weights, which have risen in recognition as Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) continues to be adopted by a rising variety of drivers, provide deliberately mundane-looking advantages, akin to relieving shoulder ache or doubling as a cellphone holder.
In actuality, nonetheless, the weights are designed and offered to permit FSD customers to take their fingers off the wheel whereas their automobile makes an attempt to drive itself — regardless of Tesla nonetheless requiring drivers to actively listen and be capable to take over at any level with the characteristic turned on.
It is extremely reckless conduct, particularly contemplating that Tesla Autopilot-related deaths have seen an unsettling surge in recent months.
Excessive Danger, No Reward
Per the WaPo, the units are being offered throughout the online, and are notably frequent on large on-line marketplaces like Amazon and Alibaba’s AliExpress.
Feedback on the listings — a number of of which have been eliminated in gentle of the WaPo’s report — are reportedly telling of the merchandise’ actual objective, even when a product description suggests in any other case.
“For those who use it in metropolis streets then it will work with none alerts,” learn one Amazon evaluate of one thing referred to as the “Steering Wheel Glass Breaker,” which, in accordance with the report, was posted in Might. “Use it at your personal threat.”
“Simply acquired this, and examined it, driving 38 miles,” one other commenter reportedly wrote of the identical product. “No Autopilot nag for the whole experience.”
To be clear, the automobile “nags” for good reason. Tesla’s self-driving options are something however excellent and have been concerned in a number of deadly collisions. Drivers are utilizing these low-cost weights at their own risk, however are additionally placing different drivers round them in danger, too.
Even so, specialists say that the prevalence of the merchandise, whereas clearly horrible, is not all that stunning.
“Elon Musk’s saying it is imagined to drive itself,” Carnegie Mellon College professor Philip Koopman, who has been learning autonomous automobile security for 25 years, informed the WP. “That is what they will hear. How do you suppose they will behave?”
For its half, Amazon says that it is doing its finest to counter the problem.
“The merchandise in query have been evasively listed, have been eliminated, and we’re taking corrective motion,” an Amazon spokesperson informed the WaPo. “Amazon doesn’t tolerate unlawful or evasive conduct, and we implement dangerous actors that make factual misrepresentations to prospects.”
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