Tesla driver killed after plowing into firetruck on freeway

[3sloppydogs]

No thanks
I don't need some **** costing me 50k for a stupid car

 

[Charged440]

F self driving cars, how about smart traffic lights? That way we don't have a dozen cars coming to a stop when there is nobody waiting on the cross road.

 

[Hemirunner]

F self driving cars, how about smart traffic lights? That way we don't have a dozen cars coming to a stop when there is nobody waiting on the cross road.

They can do that with simple sensors. Internet connected smart lights would be as dumb as the self driving cars. It would have all directions turned green at some point...

 

[Charged440]

They can do that with simple sensors. Internet connected smart lights would be as dumb as the self driving cars. It would have all directions turned green at some point...

They already have sensors and they don't work for ****. They cannot tell who is coming down the road, only who is already sitting there, and usually not even that. Internet connectivity with other intersections would not be necessary and would be a disaster for the exact reason you gave.

 

[Detective D]

Well at least the battery didn't crack open or their would have been nothing to cut open to save the passenger, and probably a smoldering hole where the fire truck was sitting too.

 

[twecomm]

Self driving cars certainly not ready for prime time. Just a bad idea.

 

[kiwigtx]

 

[patrick66]

The absurd GMC commercial where the driver engages the self-drive, and starts jamming to Queen while his hands are off the wheel and foot off the gas, irks me. It shows him passing a tanker trailer rig. Is this accomplished with the automated system? If so, how does the automation know it's safe to pass? I see this very scenario that involved the fire truck and the Tesla happening with this nonsense. Auto-drive, adaptive cruise control, and all that automation costs money. Once these miracles of modern technology hit the warranty expiration, there isn't a thing involved that costs less than $10K to repair. What if any of those malfunction? Plus, the factory will have the power to simply stop parts and service support at the five to seven year point.

I remember reading a book when I was in second grade, in the mid-'60s, that described nuclear-powered cars and trucks. Highways that ran vehicles in clusters of 20 to 30 at 100 mph, all by automation. The book was a '50s-style look at what the year 2020 would bring. Definitely a futurist's dream. In reality, just another means of controlling the masses.

 

[eldubb440]

The absurd GMC commercial where the driver engages the self-drive, and starts jamming to Queen while his hands are off the wheel and foot off the gas, irks me.

preach it Brother

hands free driving

 

[Purepony]

The absurd GMC commercial where the driver engages the self-drive, and starts jamming to Queen while his hands are off the wheel and foot off the gas, irks me. It shows him passing a tanker trailer rig. Is this accomplished with the automated system? If so, how does the automation know it's safe to pass? I see this very scenario that involved the fire truck and the Tesla happening with this nonsense. Auto-drive, adaptive cruise control, and all that automation costs money. Once these miracles of modern technology hit the warranty expiration, there isn't a thing involved that costs less than $10K to repair. What if any of those malfunction? Plus, the factory will have the power to simply stop parts and service support at the five to seven year point.

I remember reading a book when I was in second grade, in the mid-'60s, that described nuclear-powered cars and trucks. Highways that ran vehicles in clusters of 20 to 30 at 100 mph, all by automation. The book was a '50s-style look at what the year 2020 would bring. Definitely a futurist's dream. In reality, just another means of controlling the masses.

I hope that commercial gets more spotlight as exhibit b in a future “self driving car “ lawsuit

 

[Ron H]

driver engages the self-drive, and starts jamming to Queen while his hands are off the wheel

Watching this ad pissed me off as well. Yeah, lets advertise how people can be further dumbed up behind the wheel. If someone doesn't like driving a vehicle, take uber, a bus, or have someone else drive. When I'm driving I like the feeling I'm in control of the veehickel it at all times. MO, self-driving vehicles are still bullshit. Maybe someday the tech will accomplish 100% perfection I don't believe is here yet.

 

[SlingLow]

I don't know that it will ever be right. Eventually we'll end up on rails and your 'freedom to move around the country' will be over.

Me: Take me to my favorite fishin' hole.
Car: Nope. We don't go there anymore and you don't have a license.

You: Take me to the brothel.
Car: Nope. You're married and you could get a STD.

Me: Take me to the bar.
Car: Nope. Your doctor said to cut back on alcohol.

Anyone: Take me to the voting booth.
Car: Nope. You're Republican.

And on and on. F that!

 

[Ron H]

The time span of my life that was the longest was around 12 to 16 years old…waiting until I could get my driver’s license! Worse was when my brother, 3 years older than me, got his license and bought a ’65 GTO. His buddy’s in their nice rides and the girlfriends would come over and so wanted to be part of the crowd. They’d take off lighting up the tires and the gals giving me a wave bye as I stood there…in the driveway.

I had a go-kart and there was dad’s ’57 T-Bird partially tore down; but drivable. When nobody was home I’d take the bird out, luckily not getting caught; but every friggin time I took the go-kart out got stopped by the police. Think some asshole neighbor maybe called them. The cop would make me push it back to the house while he followed in his squad. Think it was the 3rd time I got snagged, the cop had a chat with my folks – next time they’d confiscate it.

Anyway, two days after my 16th birthday got my license. Time has flown by since then.

CANNOT imagine waiting to get my license to drive a f-ing self-driving car!

 

[Black_Sheep]

Self driving cars certainly not ready for prime time. Just a bad idea.

An even worse idea is self-driving trucks, imagine how bad it would be if it was an 80K truck that crashed into the fire truck…

 

[Ron H]

An even worse idea is self-driving trucks, imagine how bad it would be if it was an 80K truck that crashed into the fire truck…

Agree, I’ve had at least two occasions driving much as I used to for biz and such, when a semi could have ended my life. One was on a sharp freeway curve-curving dead into the morning sun. Was stopped in a jam-up in my Vette then, watching this semi getting larger in the rear-view mirror. I could tell there wasn’t anyway he could stop his rig before running me over. He jack-knifed it up onto the embankment.

I don’t know? The sun was low and blinding, reason for the back-up…could a self-driving rig detect something akin to weld-flash? Hope I never have to find out…so far.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

I still believe the self driving market will be put down like a rabid dog by the lawyers. Self driving cars, and trucks are developed by companies with very deep pockets, not bob the YouTuber in his shed. Follow the money and you will find the lawyers.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

An even worse idea is self-driving trucks, imagine how bad it would be if it was an 80K truck that crashed into the fire truck…

Although that problem is already fixed, but the tech world ego blindly looks past the answer. Intermodal trains remove both the driver and the trailer itself from the road, win win. I have worked in this industry for a time. Sent a incredible amount of tonnage to California and haven't been there since 1999.
A computer making the decision to kill you is a eerie thought. I have had to make that decision who to wreck into with a loaded truck. All went ok in the end the person on the left of me was paying attention and saved us all a problem.

 

[68BabyBlue]

Although that problem is already fixed, but the tech world ego blindly looks past the answer. Intermodal trains remove both the driver and the trailer itself from the road, win win. A computer making the decision to kill you is a eerie thought. I have had to make that decision who to wreck into with a loaded truck. All went ok in the end the person on the left of me was paying attention and saved us all a problem.

You said it well. Intermodal operations in the tank truck industry yield huge profits compared to trucking stuff from point to point. The main thing constraining them is the high skill level required for drivers to transfer loads as well as drive. When I was in management, the higher ups were always trying to pay less than top dollar, and it was always a battle to retain capable people. When I was doing it myself before I came in the office, I made more than my boss, even after he cheated me out of a transload fee that went with every load. He ended up promoting me to management, and I took a pay cut, and finally made less than he did.

It's always about the money. Shippers, consignees, trucking company owners - nobody wants to pay enough to retain professional drivers. Median wage in 1980, when I sold my first truck and started law school, would be $138,000 in today's money. Hence the siren song of self driving trucks.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

would be $138,000 in today's money. Hence the siren song of self driving trucks

Agreed, I think the skilled driver venues are limited for self driving or intermodal. It's the dummy boxes that shine in intermodal and self driving. Their loading and unloading does not change with a steering wheel holder or a excellent 2 million mile safe driver.
However pay will never go up due to the fact that "it's just driving". I'm in my twilight time, the sun will set quickly once the speed limiter laws start. I've dodged the electronic log book by being local. I hope to be out before the limiters spread (bureaucracy and govt red tape will be my friend, go figure).

 

[Gus chiggins]

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (AP) — A Tesla driver was killed and a passenger was critically injured Saturday when the car plowed into a fire truck that was parked on a Northern California freeway to shield a crew clearing another accident, fire officials said.

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California Tesla Strikes Fire Truck© Provided by The Associated Press
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California Tesla Strikes Fire Truck© Provided by The Associated Press
Four firefighters who were in the truck when it was struck on Interstate 680 were treated for minor injuries, said Tracie Dutter, assistant chief of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.


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California Tesla Strikes Fire Truck© Provided by The Associated Press
The driver was declared dead at the scene, Dutter said. The car needed to be cut open to remove the passenger, who was taken to the hospital.



Related video: Tesla recalls 326,000 vehicles due to full-self driving issues (CNBC)

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Photos showed the front end of the car was crushed and the $1.4 million ladder truck was damaged.


California Highway Patrol Officer Adam Lane said it was not clear whether the driver may have been intoxicated or whether the Tesla Model S was operating with automation or driving assistance features.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating how Tesla’s Autopilot system detects and responds to emergency vehicles parked on highways. At least 14 Teslas have crashed into emergency vehicles while using the system.

Dutter said the truck had its lights on and was parked diagonally on northbound lanes of the freeway to protect responders to an earlier accident that did not result in injuries.

The fatal accident occurred around 4 a.m., and it took several hours to clear the freeway. The firetruck had to be towed away.

The Model S was among the nearly 363,000 vehicles Tesla recalled on Thursday because of potential flaws in its “Full Self-Driving” system. While the recall is aimed at correcting possible problems at intersections and with speed limits, it comes amid a broader investigation by U.S. safety regulators into Tesla’s automated driving systems.


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FFS, do people really need " hands free" driving? Idiots, and their cell phones too. It's simple, drive the damn car, and quit eff ing around with every electronic device while driving Remember Herman Edwards when he said : you play to win the game? Drive to save your life......samething.