Tesla strikes hard enough to spin the plane.
Humans are the fatal flaw of technology. Technology is only as good as the people who create it and use it. This includes tech that allows semi-autonomous cars. However, the infinite range of decision-makers in humanity makes it impossible to foolproof any company’s systems against human error. This includes Tesla.
Reddit video shows CCTV footage showing a white Tesla ModelY falling prey to human error. The video shows the car colliding with a multimillion-dollar CirrusVision Jet aircraft, which is parked on an airport tarmac. The cost of the high-tech jet is approximately $2 million.
The 16-second video shows a Model Y white car driving towards the jet, before it collides with it at the tail. Although the tarmac appears dry, the Model Y hit the jet hard enough to turn the plane 90 degrees. It might have been helped by the smooth surface. After the collision, the Tesla didn’t stop. It continued moving forward in small bursts. A group of observers arrive to inspect the damage.
Although it isn’t clear exactly what happened, the uploader suggests that the owner used Tesla’s Smart Summon to bring his car to him. Although it can maneuver the car around corners and out of parking spaces, it is not foolproof.
One Redditor pointed out in the comments that the ModelY’s online manual stated: “Smart Summon might not stop for all objects (especially very high objects like a curb or a shelf) or may not respond to all traffic.”
Also, the manual states that Smart Summon should be used with a clear line-of-sight to the crossover in order to prevent the car’s collision into other things. This function works only if the smartphone is within 6 meters (19 feet) from the vehicle.
Fully autonomous cars will need years of innovation before they can transport us across the country in an instant. As users and companies push the technology’s limits, there will be more problems to resolve, but the results may not always be as expected. It doesn’t seem like anyone was hurt in the incident.