Tesla's Autopilot Just Saw A Horrible Crash Before It Even Happened

After Elon Musk's boasts that Autopilot would be able to 'see through' the car in front, here's ample proof that the latest system update is every bit as impressive as it sounds

Matt Kimberley

28 Dec 2016

We were pretty impressed by Elon Musk’s claim just a few months ago that the latest updates to Tesla’s Autopilot software would allow it to effectively see through the car in front. Finally, footage has surfaced that suggests it really is a life-saver.

Dashcam footage filmed from inside a Tesla – we think it’s a Model S based on the apparent ride height, but we can’t be sure – shows a really nasty accident on a fast dual-carriageway in the Netherlands.

But a second before the Opel Corsa smashes into the back of a black SUV, causing the latter to spike into the central reservation and barrel-roll, the Tesla’s systems start beeping as Autopilot takes action. Hans Noordsij, the Twitter user who got the driver’s permission to upload the video, confirms that it was the car that hit the brakes, not the human.

Hats off to Tesla; that’s a mighty fine save it just pulled off.

Comments

Actually. This article is on road and track and they said otherwise

That article didn’t dispute the fact the the autopilot sensed the cars stopping “through” the car in front, but more that an attentive driver could have prevented the accident more easily by watching the road ahead.

I still think the tech is impressive, but it isn’t psychic.

Wow, now I can listen to AC DC safely when in a Tesla!

Don’t get amped up now

Nikola Tesla would be proud if he was a car guy

In Autopilot 123.7 the car won’t start if it detects that your neighbors’ coffee machine has broken down, as it will have calculated that because he didn’t have his usual coffee in the morning and he is in a bad mood and will be rude to his wife and so she will decide to go to her mum’s house and on her way she will cut in front of someone’s car and so that person will slam his brakes and will get hit by the car behind and because of that a police car will be called out and if you were to go to work you would have crashed into a car trying to let the police car through…

Haha going full minority report

Kudos for the effort that went into this comment 👏🏻

I, Robot-style, huh?

In Autopilot 124.8 it will fix your neighbor’s coffee machine before it breaks so none of this happens.

Add rain/snow and it wont happen like that

I don’t know much about the Autopilot, but wouldn’t the car know about current weather conditions (i.e. outside temperature) and take them into consideration, increasing the detection range slightly? Again, I have no idea how this works, but that might be something for Tesla to consider

Tesla be like

it wasn’t something a human couldn’t do (the suv’s left brake was within field of vision) but that’s not saying it was an easy feat for an assistance system and bodes well for the future of such tech. Nicely done, mr Musk

My only concern is that they stopped waaayyy quicker than any on behind them could due to human reactions and in the vast majority of cases no where near the braking capability or ABS system of the tesla.

So surely if someone stopped that fast in front of you, you would probably go into the back of them because you’re seeing things and reacting later. I know I would in my classic mini (1995) I’d probably stamp on the brakes because I’ll panick and probably wont think about swerving in my awesome rally car and I’ll lock up and go into the back of the tesla. Ruining one of the most gorgeous and most fun cars ever (My mini obvs, if you say otherwise you’re a Prius driver)

Also upvote & get your g to best comments of the week for you all underdogs with sick comments ✌ but I’m just in a high rant.

Peace out my petrolheads #cupgang #salomonvipexperience

Loolll I just clocked that it in that video the car behind the tesla went into the back of it, that would be the ultimate salomon VIP experience. Like you’re super high tech car saved you but it also got you rear ended 😂😂 that would be the worst come on. Bet the insurance would try saying it’s the teslas fault (I’m in the UK where we hate insurance companies for being so expensive)

There’s enough room in front of the tesla between it and the accident that if it had sensed a car coming too close it would accelerate out of the way.