Tesla’s Autopilot technology has been involved in about 40 fatal and serious car crashes — including at least eight that occurred on roads with cross traffic, where the driver-assistance feature was not designed to be used, according to a Washington Post analysis.
More than 800,000 vehicles have Autopilot, and federal officials have asked Tesla to limit its use essentially to highways with center medians and no cross traffic. The company has largely ignored those requests.
Pointing to commonly cited guidelines from SAE International, a standards developing group that used to be called the Society of Automotive Engineers, Tesla has said that Autopilot use should be left to the discretion of drivers, and that its user manual explains that drivers are responsible for controlling their cars. But experts say drivers often don’t read the roughly 300-page manuals, leaving many unaware of the technology’s limitations.
So where is Autopilot meant to be used? We looked through Tesla’s user manuals, as well as National Transportation Safety Board investigations and lawsuits against the company, to find an answer.
