Consumer Reports is out with a brand new report about concerns regarding Tesla’s use of its driver-facing camera, they usually raised an interesting query: If Tesla can determine that drivers aren’t being attentive, shouldn’t it warn drivers in that moment, like most driver monitoring systems?
Tesla has had a driver-facing camera in most of its vehicles for years now, but the corporate wasn’t using it. As a substitute, the automaker’s only driver monitoring system for Autopilot is a torque sensor on the steering wheel.
Tesla has often been criticized for not using more advanced ways to observe driver attention and control. Consumer Reports has been certainly one of those critics, and now they’re at it again following latest information.
Last week, we reported on Tesla confirming that it’s now using the driver-facing camera within the Full Self-Driving Beta program with a view to monitor attention.
CEO Elon Musk even said that the automaker removed some Tesla owners from this system after determining that they weren’t paying enough attention when using the system.
Now Jake Fisher, senior director of Consumer Reports’ auto test center, argues that if Tesla has now the capability to observe attention, they need to implement a system to warn drivers each time they aren’t being attentive:
If Tesla has the flexibility to find out if the motive force isn’t being attentive, it must warn the motive force within the moment, like other automakers already do.
Within the report, they reference other automakers who do exactly that, like GM with the Supercruise.
Nonetheless, the publication also argues that there are some privacy concerns since Tesla collects the videos from the cabin camera.
Electrek’s Take
Normally, I don’t agree with most of CR‘s complaints about Autopilot, like once they complain concerning the name, but I’ll give credit where credit is due and it’s a superb query they’re raising.
Literally anything is healthier than Tesla’s current driver monitoring system with a torque sensor on the steering wheel.
I do imagine that Tesla’s Autopilot makes driving safer, but provided that the motive force at all times listen. The system alleviates a number of the driving duties, enabling you to make use of more brain power to listen to the road.
If people misuse the system, Tesla should have the ability to warn them straight away. Now that we all know they can detect that, why shouldn’t they do it?
What do you’re thinking that? Tell us within the comment section below.