What We’re Reading

September 7, 2022

• Bill targeting Tesla’s ‘self-driving’ claims passes California legislature (Los Angeles Times, August 31, 2022)

  Just weeks after the California DMV filed an action against Tesla for alleged false advertising of its Full Self Driving and Autopilot technologies, the California legislature has taken action. A new bill, passed by the California Senate last week, would institute a “ban on false advertising” related to advanced vehicle technology and set “new requirements for automakers to clearly explain the capabilities and limits of partial-automation technology when a new car is delivered and when software is updated.”

  In a survey conducted by AAA in 2018, 40% of owners of cars equipped with driver-assist technologies believed the car could drive itself. But California Senate Transportation Committee Chair Lena Gonzalez, who sponsored the bill, said “‘No one else is doing this, just Tesla. . . . GM, Ford, BMW, Mercedes, they’re all doing the right thing’ by making clear the limits of automated technology.’”

  In addition to Gonzalez, the American Automobile Association and several unidentified OEMs contributed to the bill’s language, which also is supported by consumer groups. Tesla not surprisingly is reported to have lobbied heavily against the bill, taking the position that false advertising of automated technologies is already banned in California by DMV rules.

  Read more in the bill’s fact sheet published by Senator Gonzalez’s office.

• Coming Soon to a Road Near You: Brighter Lane Markings (Bloomberg, August 31, 2022)

  Earlier this year, IIHS-HLDI released a study showing that Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) systems perform poorly in dark conditions and do not reduce traffic collisions with pedestrians at night. Now, the Federal Highway Administration is setting new minimum standards “for the retroreflectivity of pavement markings, or the amount of light they must reflect back to roadway users in dark and dry conditions,” in part to improve the performance of automated and autonomous driving technologies that rely on roadway markings to operate.

  Autonomous mobility expert Avery Ash noted that the changes are important for the development of advanced vehicle technology: “People tend to think about matching a technology that’s innovative and cutting edge with infrastructure that’s cutting edge and highly technical. . . . But when talking to engineers, the primary barriers they cite really had a lot more to do with inadequate or missing signage, or lane striping.”

  The new standard became effective yesterday, September 6, but has been a long time coming. “Congress first directed the Department of Transportation to develop a minimum retroreflectivity level for traffic signs and pavement markings in 1992, and . . . the Federal Highway Administration finally proposed developing a standard in 2010.” according to the American Society of Engineers, it is estimated that less than half of the nation’s roadways are currently in “good condition.”

• Tesla raises Full Self-Driving price to $15,000 - is it worth it? (Electrek, September 5, 2022)

  Although still in beta after two years, Tesla is raising the price of Full Self Driving by $3,000—from $12,000 to $15,000—claiming improved functionality. But as this author notes, no new features have been added to the package. Instead, “buying FSD right now at $15,000 is more of a bet that Tesla will deliver true self-driving and that you are getting it at a discount over the final price right now.” Skimming through the 353 comments suggests general consensus that the potential discount alone is not worth the increased price.