Tesla’s Safety in Question
Elon Musk often praises Tesla’s safety, but recent findings suggest otherwise. With just a piece of tape, Tesla’s autopilot system can be tricked into dangerously speeding. Footage reveals that placing tape over a 35 mph speed limit sign caused a Tesla to accelerate to 85 mph. The altered sign fooled the car’s autopilot into thinking the speed limit was higher.
Rising Scrutiny as Tesla Shares Climb
While Tesla’s stock value continues to soar, the company faces growing criticism. McAfee researchers demonstrated that simply applying a two-inch piece of electrical tape over the number “3” caused a Tesla to misread the speed limit as 85 mph.
Tesla Model X Tricked by Manipulated Sign
This experiment involved a 2016 Tesla Model X in cruise control. The vehicle, relying heavily on computer sensors, accelerated to 50 mph before the driver realized the issue. The manipulated sign created a dangerous situation for the driver, highlighting potential risks.
Investigations Following Multiple Complaints
This revelation surfaced as Tesla faced investigations for 127 complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). These complaints involved incidents of “sudden unintended acceleration,” resulting in 110 crashes and 52 injuries. Tesla’s reliance on technology may have contributed to these hazardous situations.
McAfee’s Warning
McAfee’s research proves that modifying a speed limit sign with tape can easily trick Tesla’s autopilot system, leading to risky outcomes. In their statement, McAfee explained, “By adding a small sticker to the speed limit sign, we caused the MobilEye camera to misclassify the sign, leading the Tesla to accelerate to 85 mph.”
Tesla’s Response
Tesla dismisses McAfee’s findings, arguing the test was a deliberate trick. But should Tesla improve its systems to prevent such manipulations? McAfee noted that even trained observers didn’t notice the alteration, raising questions about the system’s vulnerability.
What do you think? Should Tesla take additional steps to ensure safety?
