It is important to note that Tesla may be overrepresented in the data because its vehicles remotely transmit data, while other manufacturers may find out about a crash involving driver-assist technology via a consumer, lawsuit or police report, said Michael Brooks, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety.
However, Tesla opts for confidentiality or redactions in several data fields, the NHTSA data show.
“They’re not really doing themselves any favors to clear up those incidents by redacting or seeking confidentiality for things that are pretty clearly not confidential information,” Brooks said.
That’s one of the issues of the Standard General Order, Brooks said. While it was a step toward transparency, it gives manufacturers “a lot of leeway in what’s ultimately going to be reported and certainly what’s going to be made public,” Brooks said. That makes it difficult for other agencies to evaluate the data
Automotive News has reached out to Tesla for comment but has not received a response.
According to the NHTSA data, four of the 10 fatal crashes involved a collision with a motorcycle.
It can be difficult for a person to detect a motorcyclist visually, Brooks said. Vehicles that rely on machine learning and camera detection, like Tesla’s, are not going to be sufficient as driverless vehicles, Brooks said, adding that this is especially dangerous when consumers are led to believe their vehicle can drive itself.
While the holes in the data make it difficult to draw conclusions, Brooks said the Center for Auto Safety has received calls from motorcyclists who are concerned about Tesla vehicles’ ability to detect them.
Issues with Tesla vehicles hitting stopped emergency vehicles led NHTSA to investigate Tesla’s advanced driver assistance system, Autopilot. The probe was aimed at the cabin camera’s ability to determine driver inattentiveness.
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