Norway – The Norwegian Motorcyclists’ Union (NMCU) has contacted Elon Musk, founder of Tesla Motors and asked him: Is Tesla “autopilot” properly tested with motorcycles?
This is as a follow-up letter to the Minister of Transport, where NMCU took up the issue of people being fooled into believing that adaptive cruise control makes the vehicle “self-executing”.
NMCU insists that any system being basis for the term “self-driving” must be thoroughly tested with motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians before being put on the market.
They have also requested to Tesla Motors: Could you please stop marketing your adaptive cruise control as an autopilot, duping Tesla owners to believe they have a self-driving car that makes it possible for them to lean back, fiddle with their iPad and stop being the responsible driver of the vehicle.
This comes after an accident on a Norwegian motorway this summer which made NMCU very concerned as regards Tesla.
In the accident, the motorcycle of a young, female rider was hit hard from behind by a Tesla, with its “autopilot” in the ON position.
The rider survived, but she was severely injured.
The accident triggered a very fundamental question: Was the Tesla “autopilot” unable to detect the motorcycle in front of the car?
Information
Original Article – NMCU stiller spørsmål til Tesla Motors
Article in English Via FEMA (Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations) – NMCU asks Elon Musk: is Tesla’s ‘autopilot’ properly tested with motorcycles?
Letter – in English to Tesla Motors – pdf
Letter to Mr Musk – Tesla Motors
Dear Mr Musk
The Norwegian Motorcyclists’ Union (NMCU) is the organization representing motorbike riders in Norway. NMCU is working closely with politicians and road authorities, and the Norwegian Public Roads Administration and NMCU have a joint motorcycle strategy.
We believe Norway is one of the largest markets for Tesla in Europe. With a circulating park of only 2,5 million cars, the proportion (exposure) of Tesla cars on Norwegian roads are quite high, especially in the southern parts of the country.
Tesla is a wonderful car, but an accident on a Norwegian motorway this summer made us very concerned. In the accident, the motorcycle of a young, female rider was hit hard from behind by a Tesla, with its “autopilot” in the ON position. The rider survived, but she was severely injured.
The accident triggered a very fundamental question: Was the Tesla “autopilot” unable to detect the motorcycle in front of the car?
This accident in Norway, and news reports of Tesla “autopilot” accidents from around the globe, made NMCU write a letter of concern to the Norwegian Minister of Transport. The letter says among other things that:
“It is worrying if Tesla’s “autopilot” is not able to detect a motorcycle, but it is even more worrying if the driver has been duped into believing that a driver assistance system is an “autopilot” that allows you to cross your arms and no longer be the driver of your car.
NMCU is certainly not against a future of autonomous vehicles, but we are a bit concerned that manufacturers and politicians are “over-selling” present technology. NMCU sees many ethical, legal and traffic safety qualms when a driver assist system is marketed as an “autopilot” that is actually making the car self-driving. No car on the market is self-driving, and probably will not be for many years. It is therefore a bit worrying if key people creates an impression that cars already have a functional “autopilot” and are self-driving.
NMCU insists that any system being basis for theterm “self-driving” must be thoroughly tested with motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians before being put on the market.
NMCU’s demand for ADAS being tested with motorcycles is confirmed in the recent study, “Preliminary Study of the Response of Forward Collision Warning Systems to Motorcycles”, by John F. Lenkeit, Terrance Smith PhD Dynamic Research. The study was presented at an international motorcycle safety conference in the city of Cologne in Germany in the beginning of October this year The study says among other things that:
“As drivers become comfortable with, and rely more on Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), they may become less attentive to the driving task. So, an unintended consequence of broad ADAS implementation may be an increase in the frequency of car-motorcycle accidents even as car-car accidents decrease. It is important therefore that consideration of motorcycles be included in future ADAS test procedure and equipment development, and retroactively introduced into existing ones.
Therefore, NMCU have a simple question to you Mr. Musk: Is the Tesla “autopilot” properly tested with motorcycles?
Regardless of your reply to the above question, we have a request to Tesla Motors: Could you please stop marketing your adaptive cruise control as an autopilot, duping Tesla owners to believe they have a self-driving car that makes it possible for them to lean back, fiddle with their iPad and stop being the responsible driver of the vehicle.
Thank you in advance for your reply and your comments.
Kind regards
Norwegian Motorcyclists’ Union (NMCU)
Morten Hansen
Hey Hardly – question: Do you have the same problems that Hedley had?
You’ll forgive me if I wonder who you really really are – to be honest, it would make life a lot simpler. That said, I can’t help thinking that we have met in a land far away.
Anyhoo – back to the topic of automated cars. Personally I’m all for cheap public transport, rather than sitting in a driverless vehicle – it just doesn’t seem right. The whole concept of personal mobility has become an elitist dream for those with more money than brains – (can’t help thinking of the US coming elections…)
I absolutely agree about your definition of riders’ organisations – a flea indeed! I love it! Not just a flea though – a very obtuse and unimaginative flea as well.
My view – motorcyclists have much bigger problems as an entity – that of staying alive and being able to ride for the purpose that motorcycles were intended – to get from point A to B – without the constant interference and obsession of those out to make money or fame on the backs of what really should be a very simple and fantastic means of transport.
You are undoubtedly a Yank (take that in the nicest possible way) and my view is that you guys and gals – as oppose to us chaps and chappesses – have very different issues with transport. Though in certain respects it is similar to Northern Europe – in terms of wealth, safety issues, leisure riding and so forth – but is very different from Southern Europe where we live and where scooters are a way of life – possibly the only way to get around very narrow roads and in big cities.
The average rider doesn’t even consider things like riding like a dick or riding without a helmet or speeding etc. They just want to get to work, home, the bakery etc.
Tesla cars are in my opinion a bit like watching the Jetsons – something that will unlikely come to the masses in my lifetime (and presumably yours?) These vehicles remind somewhat of electric motorcycles – great idea – but while batteries cost almost as much as the bike to replace – it’s not something I would consider a pressing concern.
For those of us languishing within the box of yesteryear’s motorcycling, it might be a shock to realize that the automobile industry, with encouragement by governments, is proceeding to alter the entire world of surface transportation. Self-driving cars (and yes trucks/lorries) are on the way, because commerce and concerns for managing the danger demand that fallible human drivers be replaced by computers. Most significantly, society does not demand that motorcycles be a prime component of surface transportation. That’s just our wishful thinking.
Assuming “business as usual” motorcycle rights groups might continue to believe that we can have an effect on the majority. The truth is that motorcycling is merely a flea on the back of the transportation dog. Money will determine what happens, and the auto industry is big money. IMHO it is highly unlikely that any politician will go out on a limb to assist motorcyclists in direct opposition to the actions of the auto industry.
Likewise, governments can no longer tolerate a transportation mode that generates so much carnage. Motorcycles just don’t fit into the Vision Zero traffic fatality concept, and there’s no way to squeeze us in. Prepare to be thrown under the bus (coach).
If this is a shock to you, it might be time to head for the pub and order a few more rounds. Take the car.
We have “robot” bikes…….