Driverless Tesla being summoned by owner crashes into $2m private jet – Daily Mail

A driverless Tesla was filmed crashing into a $2m private yet while being ‘summoned’ across a Washington airfield by its owner.

The rogue Model Y kept on going after slamming into the Cirrus Vision at the airfield, believed to be in Spokane. 

The plane spins around almost in a 360 after being struck by the Tesla, which continues in motion before three unidentified people show up, presumably to stop it. No injuries were reported from the incident. 

A post on Reddit said that the car was in what Tesla calls ‘Smart Summon’ mode in which owners can manipulate their cars’ forward and backward progress straight into or out of a tight parking space via their smart phones. 

Tesla warns users that: ‘Those using Smart Summon must remain responsible for the car and monitor it and its surroundings at all times.’ 

A Tesla (background right) running on the manufacturer's autopilot program crashed into a jet with a value of $3million on video, as the company continues to work out the kinks in its self-driving car

A Tesla (background right) running on the manufacturer's autopilot program crashed into a jet with a value of $3million on video, as the company continues to work out the kinks in its self-driving car

A Tesla (background right) running on the manufacturer’s autopilot program crashed into a jet with a value of $3million on video, as the company continues to work out the kinks in its self-driving car

The jet prior to being hit by the Tesla

The jet prior to being hit by the Tesla

The Tesla nearly sends it spinning 360 degrees

The Tesla nearly sends it spinning 360 degrees

The plane spins around almost in a 360 after being struck by the Tesla, which continues in motion

Three unidentified people show up in frame, presumably to stop the Tesla. No injuries were reported from the incident

Three unidentified people show up in frame, presumably to stop the Tesla. No injuries were reported from the incident

Three unidentified people show up in frame, presumably to stop the Tesla. No injuries were reported from the incident

This is far from the first time Tesla’s self-driving models have gone haywire and caused chaos. 

In February, a Tesla Model 3 car in ‘Full Self-Driving’ mode has been captured colliding with a bike lane barrier post. 

The footage was captured during a drive in downtown San Jose, California, by a YouTuber who goes by the name AI Addict, and provides the first recorded evidence that Full Self-Driving, or FSD, has been directly responsible for an accident.

The latest version of the Tesla’s self-driving software, FSD Beta version 10.10, can be seen veering the Model 3 into the bollard separating a bike lane from the road.

Even though the driver is hitting the brakes and furiously spins the steering wheel away from the obstacle, the AI-powered FSD system hits the bollard with a big thud. 

Worryingly, at other points in the video the Model 3 appears to run a red light and attempts to go down a railroad track and later a tram lane because of the software. 

That video came shortly after Tesla was forced to recall nearly 54,000 cars and SUVs this month because their full self-driving software was letting them pass stop signs.

WHAT IS FULL SELF DRIVING (FSD)?

Full Self-Driving is the advanced driver assistance software powering Tesla vehicles. 

It’s Level 2, meaning the system can control the speed and direction of the car allowing the driver to take their hands off temporarily, but they have to monitor the road at all times and be ready to take over.

The technology, which is optional, includes several autonomous driving features, but still requires driver supervision. 

As of February 8, the latest version of FDS Beta is version 10.10. 

AI Addict posted the nine-minute video of the drive to YouTube on February 5. The crash takes place at around the three-and-a-half minutes mark.  

The YouTuber appears to be in the front seat behind the wheel, accompanied by a passenger in the back seat.  

‘S**t, we hit that!’ AI Addict can be heard saying. ‘I hit the brakes to the floor!’ 

The passenger says: ‘I can’t believe the car didn’t stop’. 

Tesla CEO Elon Musk claimed only last month that the FSD Beta system had never had an accident, but the new footage offers proof that this is no longer the case. 

In most of AI Addict’s video, the driver can be seen merely touching the wheel rather than holding it, allowing the autonomous technology to control the wheel’s movements to follow a pre-defined route on a map. 

FSD is capable of level 2 autonomy. This means the system can control the speed and direction of the car, allowing the driver to take their hands off temporarily, but they have to monitor the road at all times and be ready to take over. 

Moments prior to the crash, the driver can be seen letting the wheel rotate through his hands too far to the right before noticing the post and turning it quickly to the left – but it’s too late. 

Although the crash wasn’t serious, the bollard, which was nearly knocked cleanly to the ground, left paint on the front bumper. 

TESLA RECALLS 54,000 CARS AS SOFTWARE LETS THEM RUN RED LIGHTS 

Tesla is recalling nearly 54,000 cars and SUVs because their full self-driving software lets them roll through stop signs without coming to a complete halt.

The firm has disabled the feature with an over-the-internet software update, documents posted on February 1 by US safety regulators revealed. 

The documents say Tesla agreed to the recall after two meetings with officials from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The feature, that was being tested by a number of drivers, lets vehicles go through junctions with a stop sign at up to 5.6 miles per hour. 

Read more: Feature allowed vehicles to go through junctions with stop signs at up to 5.6mph

It’s possible the system was not aware that a section was cordoned off for the bike lane. MailOnline has contacted Tesla for comment. 

The Model 3 seems to have a problem detecting the green bike lane barrier posts, which are dotted all over downtown San Jose, throughout much of the video, often driving towards them at several points. 

The video appears to highlight other deficiencies in FSD, which is in beta and therefore set to improve reported faults before a wide rollout. 

At another point in the video, the car’s AI is trying to turn left onto a busy main road even though a truck is oncoming.

AI Addict can be heard saying: ‘Here comes a truck and it’s creeping forward and I don’t like this. Holy f…. OK.’

At other points, FSD seems to do a good job of ‘patiently’ waiting for pedestrians to cross the road and keeping clear of other cars. 

Tesla has been releasing new software updates to its FSD Beta program – the latest being version 10.10, released earlier this month.

Towards the end of last year, Tesla said that it almost had 60,000 owners in the FSD Beta program, which is only available to select Tesla owners picked by the company and drivers with high safety scores of 100 out of 100.

However, one investor revealed to Electrek last October that he had only a safety score of 37 out of 100 and was still using FSD Beta. 

Tesla CEO Elon Musk claimed only in January that the FSD Beta system had never had an accident, but the new footage offers proof that this is no longer the case

Tesla CEO Elon Musk claimed only in January that the FSD Beta system had never had an accident, but the new footage offers proof that this is no longer the case

Tesla CEO Elon Musk claimed only in January that the FSD Beta system had never had an accident, but the new footage offers proof that this is no longer the case

A Tesla Inc Model 3 electric vehicle, like the one in the video, is seen here displayed inside a showroom in Tokyo, Japan

A Tesla Inc Model 3 electric vehicle, like the one in the video, is seen here displayed inside a showroom in Tokyo, Japan

A Tesla Inc Model 3 electric vehicle, like the one in the video, is seen here displayed inside a showroom in Tokyo, Japan

These safety score are decided by drivers giving the firm permission to monitor their driving using in-car software.  

Tesla warns that drivers using the systems must be ready to intervene at all times, as per any Level 2 autonomous driving system. 

FSD is an upgrade package to Autopilot, the company’s suite of of advanced driver-assistance system features, which has had a controversial and often fatal history.

So far 12 fatalities involving Tesla’s Autopilot have been verified, along with a load of non-fatal crashes. 

Despite Musk’s assertion in January of FSD Beta’s impeccable record, the US government’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received its first complaint in November 2021 that FSD caused a crash from a Tesla driver.The incident in Brea, California involved a Tesla Model Y forcing itself into the incorrect lane and being hit by another vehicle, according to AP.   

HISTORY OF FIRST RESPONDER CRASHES CAUSED BY TESLA AUTOPILOT

January 22, 2018 in Culver City: A Tesla Model S hit the back of a fire truck parked at an accident in Culver City around 8:30 am on Interstate 405 using the cars Autopilot system. The Tesla, which was going 65mph, suffered ‘significant damage’ and the firetruck was taken out of service for body work.

May 30, 2018 in Laguna Beach: Authorities said a Tesla sedan in Autopilot mode crashed into a parked police cruiser in Laguna Beach. Laguna Beach Police Sgt. Jim Cota says the officer was not in the cruiser during the crash. He said the Tesla driver suffered minor injuries.

The police SUV ended up with its two passenger-side wheels on a sidewalk.

December 7, 2019 in Norwalk, CT: A 2018 Tesla Model 3 on Interstate 95 in Norwalk, Connecticut using the Autopilot driver assistance system rear-ended a parked police car. 

December 29, 2019 in Cloverdale, IN: A 2019 Tesla on Interstate 70 in Cloverdale, Indiana hit the back of a parked firetruck. 

The Tesla driver, Derrick Monet, and his wife, Jenna Monet, both suffered serious injuries and were transported to the hospital for immediate medical care. Jenna ultimately succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead at Terre Haute Regional Hospital.

June 30, 2020 in West Bridgewater, MA: A Weston, Massachusetts man driving a Tesla hit a Massachusetts State Police cruiser that was stopped in the left lane of Route 24 in West Bridgewater. A trooper who was on the scene reported that the driver, Nicholas Ciarlone, faced a negligent driving charge and was arraigned in September 2020.

July 15, 2020 in Conchise County, AZ: A Tesla Model S hit an Arizona Department of Public Safety patrol car, resulting in the patrol car rear-ending an ambulance that was on the scene of an earlier car accident. No one was seriously injured, but the Tesla driver was taken to the hospital for injuries.

August 26, 2020 in Charlotte, NC: A Tesla driver watching a movie crashed into a Nash County Sherriff’s Office deputy vehicle in Charlotte, North Carolina on US 64 west.

The driver, Devainder Goli, of Raleigh, was accused of violating the move-over law and watching television while operating a vehicle. 

February 27, 2021 in Montgomery County, TX: The driver of a Tesla rear-ended a police cruise during a traffic stop in Montgomery County, Texas. Five deputy constables were injured during the accident, which happened around 1:15 am on Eastex Freeway near East River Road. 

The Tesla driver was not injured, but was taken into custody on a DWI charge. 

March 17, 2021 in Lansing, MI: A Tesla on autopilot crashed into a Michigan State Police car. Troopers from the Lansing Post had been investigating a crash involving a car and a deer on I-96 near Waverly Rd in Eaton County at around 1:12am.

While investigating the crash, a Tesla driving on autopilot struck the patrol car, which had its emergency lights on.

Neither the driver of the Tesla – a 22-year-old man from Lansing – nor the troopers were injured at the scene. Police issued the unidentified man a citation for failure to move over and driving while license suspended.  

May 15, 2021 in Arlington, WA: A Tesla driving in Arlington, Washington hit a police vehicle that resulted in ‘significant damage’ to the police car.

There were no injuries reported from the incident. 

May 19, 2021 in Miami, Florida: Three people were hospitalized after a Tesla hit a parked Miami-Dade County Department Transportation Road Ranger truck that was blocking the left lane of I-95 to help clear the debris of an earlier crash.

The driver of the Tesla was transported to a nearby hospital with with severe, albeit non-life-threatening, injuries.

July 10 2021 in San Diego: A woman drove her Tesla onto a stretch of Highway 56 that had been closed to investigate an earlier fatal accident. That saw her Tesla smash into a parked, unoccupied highway cruiser.

The woman was arrested on suspicion of DUI, and her passenger was injured.

August 28, 2021 in Orlando  A Tesla Model 3 struck a Florida Highway Patrol cruiser that had pulled over to help a broken-down car. The 27 year-old driver and his passenger both suffered minor injuries. The trooper did not get hurt. 

 

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