Tesla loves boasting that its Autopilot feature can reduce the likelihood of an accident by a significant margin. Most recently, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said during an interview with CBS that while “Autopilot will never be perfect,” the feature over the long-run will be able to “reduce accidents by a factor of 10.”
Musk’s optimism aside, the reality is that many drivers remain wary of self-driving car technologies in general. And with good reason, any time there’s a crash involving a Tesla, it tends to make national news. Most recently, you might recall that Tesla’s Autopilot feature made headlines following word that a Model X with Autopilot engaged veered into a highway divider, tragically killing the driver in the process. In the wake of the accident, Tesla has said that the car’s Autopilot feature did, in fact, provide the driver with a number of warnings that were not heeded. Tesla’s position aside, the reality is that we still have a long way to go before the public at large is willing to trust self-driving cars.
All that said, it’s worth noting that Tesla’s Autopilot feature has improved considerably in recent weeks. Specifically, Tesla about a month ago introduced a new Autopilot update with a number of performance enhancements. In turn, Tesla owners have been posting a number of videos which showcase the updated iteration of Autopilot deftly handling a variety of precarious situations on the road.
The video below, for instance, highlights a Tesla handling a winding local road with relative ease.
More recently, a Tesla owner posted a video which highlights the car’s Autopilot feature handling a tricky construction zone area with a lane shift. While hardly a challenge for a human driver, these types of scenarios have proven to be challenging for Tesla vehicles in the past.
