Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology выяснили that Tesla drivers may become inattentive when using the Full Self-Driving (FSD) software.
Over the course of a year, the researchers collected data on drivers’ reactions to autopilot disengagement in the Boston metropolitan area. They equipped the vehicles with a data-collection system with tire sensors, video cameras and GPS navigation.
These sensors provided information such as the vehicle’s kinematics, the driver’s interaction with the controllers, their location and posture, mileage, and the view ahead of the vehicle. In total, the researchers collected data from 500,000 miles driven.
According to their data, when the autopilot disengaged abruptly, drivers’ attention was low.
“Before disengagement, drivers paid less attention to the road and more attention to areas not related to driving, compared with what happened after switching to manual control,” the study notes.
Because autopilot includes safety features such as cruise control and automatic steering, drivers become less attentive and more often take their hands off the wheel. The researchers found that this behavior may be the result of an incorrect understanding of how autopilot works and its limitations.
Additionally, drivers whose tasks are automated may become bored after attempting to maintain visual and physical vigilance, which, the researchers say, only heightens inattentiveness.
The scientists believe their work will help illuminate human behavior behind the wheel of a robotaxi, and may also serve as a benchmark for studying the impact of automation on driver behavior.
In September, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration demanded that Tesla provide detailed information about the driver-assistance system.
Two weeks later, the agency requested the same data from another 12 automakers.
In August, the agency began an official investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot after a series of crashes, in which one person died and at least 17 others were injured.
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