A Tesla self-driving test on busy Melbourne streets was not approved by the government | 7.30

Key Concepts

• Phantom braking: Sudden, unexpected deceleration of a Tesla vehicle for no apparent reason.
• Autopilot: Tesla's advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS).
• Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB): A safety feature designed to automatically apply the brakes in emergency situations.
• Class action lawsuit: A lawsuit brought by a group of people with similar grievances against a company.
• LiDAR: Light Detection and Ranging, a remote sensing technology that uses laser light to create a 3D representation of the environment.
• Tesla Vision: Tesla's camera-based autonomous driving system, which relies primarily on cameras rather than radar or LiDAR.
• ANCAP: Australasian New Car Assessment Program, an independent vehicle safety rating organization.
• Fully Autonomous Vehicles: Vehicles capable of driving themselves without any human input.

Phantom Braking and Unexpected Acceleration

• Tesla drivers have reported instances of "phantom braking," where the car suddenly decelerates for no apparent reason, even on open roads with no traffic.
  • Example: Daniel Matisen experienced his Model 3 braking sharply, dropping 10-15 km/h, on straight roads.
  • Consequences: Drivers behind may react negatively, increasing the risk of rear-end collisions.
• Some drivers have also reported instances of unexpected acceleration.
  • Example: Daniel's car, while using cruise control, attempted to set the speed to 110 km/h in a 60 km/h zone.
  • This occurs without any driver input, causing concern.

Class Action Lawsuit in Australia

• A class action lawsuit has been filed in federal court by thousands of Australian Tesla Model 3 and Y drivers (built from 2021) experiencing phantom braking issues.
• Lawyers argue that phantom braking makes the vehicles unsafe.
• Tesla's Defense:
  • Tesla denies any phantom braking defect and any serious risk of injury or death.
  • Tesla states the owner's manual clarifies that AEB performance can be affected by factors like:
    • Vehicles partially in the path of travel
    • Road debris
    • Obstructions to cameras
    • Weather conditions
    • Sharp curves
    • Nearby vehicles
  • Tesla emphasizes the driver's responsibility to drive safely and remain in control.
  • Tesla highlights the five-star safety ratings received from ANCAP and the presence of various safety features.

Tesla's Camera-Based Autonomous System (Tesla Vision)

• Tesla relies almost entirely on cameras for its autonomous vehicle system (Tesla Vision).
• Other companies often use range sensors like LiDAR.
• Cameras can be sensitive to environmental factors like shadows, which may trigger phantom braking.
  • Anecdotal reports suggest shadows have caused cars to brake unnecessarily.

Self-Driving Technology Testing and Regulatory Scrutiny

• Tesla has been showcasing its new self-driving technology to test drivers.
• A clip shared on social media demonstrated the car's ability to navigate busy streets without driver input.
• The Victorian government stated that the Department of Transport and Planning has not approved any testing of fully autonomous vehicles in Melbourne CBD.

US Lawsuits and Leaked Documents

• The Australian class action follows several lawsuits against Tesla in the US over claims that its Autopilot system caused deadly crashes.
• Leaked Documents:
  • German newspaper Handelsblatt received 23,000 leaked documents from an anonymous former Tesla employee.
  • The documents included thousands of customer complaints about Autopilot.
  • The leaker called the file "the worst things we do to our customers."
• Grieving families came forward, detailing fatal crashes where Tesla vehicles crashed on straight roads in daylight, resulting in deaths.
  • Tesla allegedly responded to some families by stating there was "no data" or "no relevant data" available.

Customer Frustration and Lack of Response

• Daniel Matisen, who experienced phantom braking and acceleration issues, reported the problems to Tesla but felt "stonewalled."
• He desires acknowledgement and investigation of the issues from Tesla.

Conclusion

The video highlights concerns surrounding Tesla's Autopilot system, specifically phantom braking and unexpected acceleration. These issues have led to a class action lawsuit in Australia and previous lawsuits in the US. The reliance on a camera-based system (Tesla Vision) is discussed as a potential contributing factor, with sensitivity to environmental factors like shadows. The video also touches on regulatory scrutiny regarding the testing of fully autonomous vehicles and the frustration of customers who feel their concerns are not being adequately addressed by Tesla. The leaked documents and stories of fatal crashes raise serious questions about the safety and reliability of Tesla's Autopilot system.