US Senator Calls Tesla's Autopilot System Misleading

Jan. 27, 2020

A U.S. senator on Friday urged Tesla to rename its driver-assistance system currently known as Autopilot, alleging that the driver-assistance setup is "inherently misleading" and is subject to potentially dangerous misuse.

Jan. 27, 2020—A U.S. senator on Friday urged Tesla to rename its driver-assistance system currently known as Autopilot, alleging that the driver-assistance setup is "inherently misleading" and is subject to potentially dangerous misuse.

However, Tesla said in a letter, according to a report by the Reuters news service, that it had taken steps to ensure driver engagement with the system and enhance its safety features. Tesla introduced new warnings for red lights and stop signs last year, for example.

Democratic Senator Edward Markey said he believed the potential dangers of Autopilot can be overcome. Yet, he called for "rebranding and remarketing the system to reduce misuse ..."

Autopilot has been engaged in at least three Tesla vehicles involved in fatal U.S. crashes since 2016.