Needed: A Deeper Look at Self-Driving Car Safety
December 14, 2023
Following a critical report from federal safety investigators, Tesla is recalling nearly all its cars on US roads for a software update intended to prevent drivers from misusing the vehicle’s “autopilot” system. Will this be enough to improve—and prove—their safety? In Issues, Marjory S. Blumenthal and Laura Fraade-Blanar evaluate what that might mean. There currently are no generally accepted methods for measuring or communicating the safety of self-driving vehicles, the authors maintain. They propose several approaches for both bridging this knowledge gap and communicating the findings effectively to policymakers and the public.