Ex-Tesla Employee Raises Concerns Over Self-Driving Car Safety

A former employee at Tesla has raised concerns over the safety of the company's self-driving technology. In a detailed account to the BBC, the ex-worker, Lukasz Krupski, shared unsettling details about customer complaints and his own attempts to warn about potential safety issues with Tesla's autonomous driving features. Krupski indicated that he felt the technology was not ready for public road usage, emphasizing the risks this posed not only to Tesla drivers but to the general public as well.

Whistleblower's Warnings

After facing what he perceived as disregard for his concerns within the company, Krupski decided to share evidence externally, leaking internal data to the media. This included customer complaints about issues such as 'phantom braking' where the car reacts to non-existent obstacles. He expressed grave concern about how Tesla's AI was being implemented for features like Autopilot, which requires active driver supervision despite its name suggesting otherwise.

Statistical Safety Claims

Tesla has touted Autopilot's safety, citing in-house data that suggest Tesla vehicles on Autopilot average a crash every five million miles, against a lower rate when not using the feature. The accuracy of these figures, however, has not been independently verified, and regulatory bodies, including the US Department of Justice and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, have been probing Tesla's assisted driving features.

The Life of a Whistleblower

The personal toll on Krupski for blowing the whistle on the electric car giant has been significant, with the former employee describing the past six months as 'terrifying' and mentioning his struggles with sleep. Nonetheless, his efforts have not gone unnoticed; Krupski received recognition in the form of the Blueprint for Free Speech Whistleblowing Prize for his actions.

Experts Weigh In

Academic experts, such as Jack Stilgoe from University College London, remarked that Krupski's revelations bring about broader questions regarding the deployment of AI-driven technology in unpredictable real-world scenarios. Meanwhile, legislative developments are afoot with the UK Government preparing an Automated Vehicles Bill aimed to establish legal frameworks for the future of self-driving cars.

Tesla, Whistleblower, Safety