Watch out, this is what Tesla’s autopilot does to drivers

As thousands of potential Tesla owners test the latest version of the company’s fully autonomous driving software, a study warns the new system is leading drivers astray.

A new study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has confirmed the idea that the FSD Fully Autonomous Driving System is not an autonomous system, but simply an advanced driver assistance system.

The researchers looked at the general data and found that drivers can become inattentive when using partially automated driving systems.

Change in behavior patterns

She explained that drivers’ visual behavior patterns change before and after activating the automated guide.

After switching on, drivers were less interested in the road and focused more on non-traffic areas than after switching to manual driving.

Additionally, the study provided evidence that drivers may not use autopilot as recommended.

Tesla car (Reuters)

The company first uses telemetry data to capture personal driving metrics over a seven-day period to ensure that drivers stay sufficiently alert.

The data can also be used to apply a new safety rating that tracks the owner’s vehicle, which is linked to their insurance.

Just a driver assistance system

And because the autopilot includes safety features like cruise control and automatic steering, drivers become less alert and take their hands off the wheel.

Researchers have found that this type of behavior can be the result of a misunderstanding of what autopilot features can do and their limitations, which are heightened when they work well.

Additionally, automated drivers can get bored naturally after trying to maintain visual and physical alertness, which the researchers say leads to more inattention.

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The study, titled “A Natural Looking Pattern of Behavior in Tesla Autopilot Operations,” followed Model S and X owners in their daily routines for periods of a year or more across the region. Greater Boston.

The vehicles are equipped with a real-time intelligent driving environment recording data acquisition system. Which continuously collects data from the control network, GPS and three 720p video cameras.