Tesla’s $199/Month Full Self-Driving Mode Confused The Moon For A Traffic Light
Image via Photo 111449699 © Athapet Piruksa | Dreamstime.com
Here’s proof that artificial intelligence can’t ace those “are you human” CAPTCHA tests yet. Ask it to identify a traffic light, and it might click on a picture of the moon or even a Burger King sign.
That’s almost exactly what Tesla’s Full Self-Driving technology did, according to a few videos uploaded online. Most recently, one driver by the name of Jordan Nelson shared footage of his Tesla repeatedly mistaking the moon for a yellow traffic light at a highway, as the lunar body had appeared warmer and hung lower that night.
Hey @elonmusk you might want to have your team look into the moon tricking the autopilot system. The car thinks the moon is a yellow traffic light and wanted to keep slowing down. 🤦🏼 @Teslarati @teslaownersSV @TeslaJoy pic.twitter.com/6iPEsLAudD
— Jordan Nelson (@JordanTeslaTech) July 23, 2021
The automaker previously charged upfront fees of US$10,000 to unlock Full Self-Driving. However, this month, it tweaked the model into a subscription-based one, and is now taking in US$199 monthly payments to make the feature more widely accessible.
Insider cited two similar occasions from April involving Tesla cars confusing some signs for roadside objects. In one clip, the vehicle would stop every time it was in front of a particular billboard, perceiving it as a stop sign. In another, the car would slow down as it came close to a Burger King sign.
These might have been fixed in Tesla’s Full Self-Driving Mode beta version nine, released in July. The update claims to have enhanced driving visualization that captures data from the car’s surroundings.
Nevertheless, CEO Elon Musk has warned that the beta software is far from perfect, and that drivers should “please be paranoid” and keep their eyes on the road. Tesla also notes that the feature “may do the wrong thing at the worst time, so you must always keep your hands on the wheel and pay extra attention to the road.”
A fully-functioning autopilot mode is a little ways down the road, and these videos prove it.
[via Insider, cover image via Photo 111449699 © Athapet Piruksa | Dreamstime.com]
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