Recent crashes raise concerns with Tesla Autopilot program

Though undeniably an innovator in semi-autonomous vehicle technology, Tesla is still struggling to create solid safety standards for its Autopilot program. This has resulted in numerous crashes, including a May accident that involved a Tesla Model S and a fire truck. Residents of New Mexico will want to know how Tesla has responded to these accidents.

It appears that the CEO, along with many Tesla supporters, is outraged over the wide coverage of the May accident. Some are asking why the news media will ignore hundreds of more serious accidents in order to focus on one involving a semi-autonomous car. To many, the response is obvious — self-driving vehicle tech has yet to be proven safe, so when one gets in an accident, people are naturally concerned.

A report from the University of Michigan estimates that a self-driving vehicle should be tested for 11 billion miles before researchers can say with 80 percent confidence that it’s 90 percent safer than a human driver. Tesla has yet to attain this number.

In fairness, it should be noted that the Tesla driver in the recent crash was viewing her phone when the accident took place. However, this seems to validate the claim that Autopilot makes drivers complacent.

Car accident law can be clear when it comes to blaming the manufacturers of autonomous technology versus negligent drivers. However, a personal injury lawyer could help an accident victim through the process of obtaining compensation. A successful claim could cover medical bills, vehicle damage, lost wages and more.