- Pete Buttigieg said he was concerned about how drivers would interact with systems like Tesla’s Autopilot.
- The Secretary of Transportation said there is “a lot of potential” for driver-assist technology.
- But he questioned the safety of driver assistance systems for road users.
Pete Buttigieg said the way drivers interact with self-driving systems, such as Tesla’s Autopilot system, is a source of concern.
The Secretary of Transportation said of the investigation into Tesla’s software, “The real concern is not limited to the technology per se, but the interaction between the technology and the driver.” Tuesday press conference.
Buttigieg added, “The question is not whether it’s all right or 100% sure.” “The question is how can we be sure that they will lead to better safety outcomes?”
Self-driving technology “has a lot of potential,” he warned, “but we just need to make sure it’s deployed in a responsible way.”
While Tesla’s Autopilot feature is intended for use on highways, the fully self-driving mode also works in urban areas, allowing the car to change lanes, recognize stop signs and traffic lights, and park.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk previously said the software would eventually run fully autonomously, Safer than human drivers.he claimed Fully self-driving car It represents the future of Tesla.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigating numerous crashes From 2021, Tesla’s advanced driver assistance system will be introduced. safety agency Tesla has launched a new investigation after reports that the steering wheel of Tesla’s Model Y may fall off while driving.
NHTSA also inspect Whether the Tesla driver who hit a high school student in April was using driver assistance technology at the time.
NHTSA, Tesla and Buttigieg’s office did not respond to requests for comment from insiders.