Report concludes Tesla autopilot navigation feature can pose serious safety risks without the driver's commitment

A new Tesla feature that allows cars to change lanes automatically may pose safety risks to drivers who are not actively engaged while tuning is enabled, according to Consumer Reports findings.

With its own independent highway test model 3, Consumer Reports has encountered a number of problems with the feature offered by Tesla's Navigate on Autopilot feature. These problems would include blocking vehicles at faster speeds, traffic congestion and braking problems. According to Consumer Reports' director of auto testing, Jake Fisher, when traffic is heavy, the system "often immediately applies the brakes to create room behind the following car, which can be a bad surprise for the vehicle you have chopped off".

In addition, the report claimed that the function had attempted to modify lanes, which was ultimately illegal on highways where it tested functionality in Connecticut.

Tesla said in an April blog post that thanks to its customizable navigation options, Navigate Autopilot can be set when it is en route to turn on alone, alert the driver of upcoming lane changes or require driver confirmation for action. Drivers can stop an automatic lane change via the touch screen of the car or by moving the flashing vehicle. The automaker indicates that the function "does not make a car autonomous, and that lane changes will be made only when the driver detected on the wheel. "

Tesla says in his blog that "until truly driverless cars are validated and approved by regulators, drivers are responsible for their cars and must keep control of them at all times." A similar warning is displayed for drivers with feature enabled, according to Consumer. Reports. But it was found that when you turn off the confirmation function, the pop-up window initially appears when you change the setting, but it no longer appears when the feature is turned on and used.

Tesla did not immediately return a request for comment on the results.

Around the time the feature film was released, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, said he believed his company's technology would soon reach the point where "human intervention would reduce security," which could happen at the end of the year. However, he added, although he thinks Teslas will be "full" by the end of 2019, that does not mean a completely autonomous experience that does not require any driver supervision. He said, however, that he expected this to be the case by the end of 2020.

Tesla said in April that, thanks to its internal and anticipated access tests, "more than half a million kilometers" had been collectively traveled with the autopilot enabled lane change function without confirmation. of the driver, in addition to more than 9 million suggested lane changes successfully completed. Navigate to Autopilot enabled. But ultimately, according to Fisher, the required supervision for the automatic lane change function for safe use "is much more difficult than simply changing lanes yourself."