Thursday, April 22, 2021

Engineers trick Tesla Model Y to drive on Autopilot sans driver on the seat

 Engineers at Consumer Reports have tricked a Tesla Model Y to drive on the electric carmaker's driver assistance feature, without actually anyone in the driver's seat


As Tesla faces several fatal crashes in the recent past that have put its Autopilot mode in scrutiny, engineers at Consumer Reports engineers have easily tricked a Tesla Model Y to drive on the electric carmaker's driver assistance feature, without actually anyone in the driver's seat.

During the drive, Tesla Model Y automatically steered along painted lane lines, but the system did not send out a warning that the driver's seat was empty.

The engineers tricked Tesla vehicle by placing a small, weighted chain on the steering wheel, to simulate the weight of a driver's hand, and slid over into the front passenger seat without opening any of the vehicle's doors, because that would disengage Autopilot, the report said on Thursday.

Using the same steering wheel dial, the engineers reached over and were able to accelerate the vehicle from a full stop.

"In our evaluation, the system not only failed to make sure the driver was paying attention, but it also couldn't tell if there was a driver there at all," says Jake Fisher, CR's senior director of auto testing, who conducted the experiment.

"Tesla is falling behind other automakers like GM and Ford that, on models with advanced driver assist systems, use technology to make sure the driver is looking at the road."

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