The last day of June, the national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) announced in 25000 tesla Model S Autopilot system (Autopilot system) design and performance of the preliminary investigation, a 40-year-old technology company boss open their own "Tessy" (the owner of the car's nickname), lost their lives in autonomous mode, but just a month ago, he also praised the Model S advanced Autopilot system successfully to help him to prevent a collision. But if the adaptive cruise control as a fully automated driving, is wrong

Recall the unfortunate accident

Death of the owner named Joshua db one, 40, in Canton, Ohio, accident on May 7th, location, fla., Willis, according to police report, at that time, the car camera under the glare in the sky, can't distinguish is his heavy trucks left in front of the white body and lead to automatic brake function has not started, straight to the bottom of the truck, car roof blown open, through the interstate break fence, finally ran into a telephone pole, in the south of this pole stopped about 100 feet.

The truck driver was named Frank Baressi, 62 years old, work in Okemah Express company (Okemah Express LLC), he was at the sight is: "the tesla Model S owners on the screen to see harry potter at the time, the speed quickly, so that he so fast through my trailer I didn't see him. The car hit the pole." In Florida Palm Harbor's house, he told the Associated Press recalls. It is unclear what tesla's motor show system can play movies in the car, the police in the preliminary investigation report made no mention of the movies also link.

Joshua db said one's obituary, he was 11 years of service seal, is the founder of Nexu innovation before he died, the company's main wireless network and camera system. The pentagon also confirmed that Brown has also played the navy seals, ended in 2008.

Brown is very like his 2015 Model S, in April, tesla's advanced automated driving system have saved his life, to avoid the traffic accident. At that time, a large truck suddenly turned, into his running interstate highways. Then he released a video on the Internet, and said "this is I had the best car, degree of autopilot can let my hands down, give full play to his capabilities."

Tesla said in the blog, in autonomous mode enabled more than 130 million miles (210 million km) range, this is the first time happen accident death. Users in starting the autopilot function (note: the default is disabled) must read the instructions before, understand this is a new technology, is still in the public beta stage. Tesla's instructions, according to the autopilot is an auxiliary function, the driver must at any time when using hands on the steering wheel, control and dominate the vehicle dynamics. If the system detects the driver didn't put your hands on the steering wheel, the alarm immediately, then slow down, until the detect drivers will hand on the steering wheel. Tesla emphasize doing this is to ensure automated driving function can be used as much as possible in a safe condition.

"Under the bright light in the sky, automatic driving function and the driver failed to discover the white side of the truck, so the brake function, there is no start. Drivers need to recognize that the software is disabled by default automated driving and automatic driving function is a new technology, is still in beta, officially launched only after perfect use. The driver also recognized that need to keep control of the vehicle, but also responsible for the running vehicles", tesla so stressed.

Tesla founder elon musk June 30 in the evening on the tweet also expressed their condolences. Last October, when the autopilot function was introduced when tesla, musk once cautioned that the much-anticipated function at the testing stage, completely let go driving is not recommended. At present, in the dark days of musk, he might limit the function of autopilot system at present is not perfect, the maximum to prevent human do crazy things again.

Cruise indicates automated driving

When tesla, Mercedes, nissan, Toyota, Honda and ford auto enterprises one by one announced to join the self-driving car competition in the future, perhaps we have reasons to believe that, automatic driving a car is no longer a concept, in the not too distant future, self-driving cars will be separated. But in the United States the definition of highway traffic safety administration, the autopilot consists of five stages of the Level0 - Level4:

Level 0: manual control. Completely need manual control vehicles, including braking, steering, throttle, etc.

Level 1: the specific functions of automatic control. Automatic control in one or more specific implement control functions, such as electronic stability control (ESC) or auxiliary brake.

Level 2: combined function of automatic control. At least two basic control function can be work together automatically, such as the combination of adaptive cruise control and lane keeping.

Level 3: limited automated driving. Under the condition of certain traffic, the driver can achieve all the key security function of custody; When necessary, under the premise of vehicles can be reserved in enough time to control to the driver, such as Google unmanned vehicle project, national defense science and technology university in automated driving project.

Level 4: fully automatic driving. Vehicles can automatically perform in the whole trip all the key function of safe driving and road conditions, the driver only need to enter the destination information or navigation path information. Define here vehicles including passenger vehicles and empty.

After a self-driving mode, tesla's owner seems to forget the autopilot is not equal to adaptive cruise control function. Tesla's autopilot system is not a completely independent drive system, can be regarded as at Level 2 levels of levels, there are a lot of work to be driver personally responsible for, so also the Model S long user manual printing warning.

Warned: "Traffic awareness Cruise Control (Traffic - Aware Cruise Control) system may not be to avoid the static vehicle and the brake or slow down, especially in such a situation: you are driving at a speed of more than 80 kilometers per hour, after the car in front of you change lanes, you suddenly appeared before a stationary vehicle or object. The driver should always pay attention to the road ahead, ready to take urgent corrective actions. Totally dependent on Traffic awareness Cruise Control system may lead to serious casualty accidents."

Here need to science traffic awareness cruise control system, it is a kind of intelligent automatic control system. In the process of vehicle, installed in a vehicle in the front of the car distance sensor (radar) continue to scan the vehicle road ahead, wheel speed sensor is responsible for collecting the speed signal at the same time. So as to realize the "slow I'll slow vehicles, limber fast I will fast", the effect of the smart car following your car and keep a safe distance from the vehicle ahead.

Automated driving point: at least five years, ten years at most

Current sensor for millimeter wave radar, the radar sensor installation position is usually near the air intake grille logo, before the logo is the rear, below the bumper. Infrared and laser sensor, compared its ability to penetrate fog, smoke, dust, with the characteristics of all-weather work, however, have some special and extreme situation, millimeter wave radar will be affected by large, lead to cruise control perception may be failure, such as:

It is a sharp turn

Poor visibility (rain, snow, fog, etc.)

Bright light interference (head lights or direct sunlight)

Radar sensor obscured (too dirty, covered, etc.)

Windshield is obstructed, fog, dust, sticker cover, etc.)

Millimeter wave radar is mainly used to send and receive signals of frequency difference and time difference object relative speed and distance of target is obtained respectively. Therefore, for the signal reflection intensity has certain requirements, such as pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, tricycles, animal is the weak reflected wave is extremely easy to be inundated with other clutter, which cannot be effective recognition. In addition to the above goals don't respond, for close to (on), lateral riding, slow moving or stationary vehicles, perception of cruise control system also will not take any measures. For some trucks with special goods, recognition are less sensitive.

Therefore, tesla's owners, you still need to remain vigilant. Driving is something always attentively, safe driving, control vehicles spacing and speed, and is always present, really use cruise control when automated driving awareness, cry to it