OT: Darwinism? Dumb? Or both?

[purplefaithful]

Canadian police charge Tesla driver who was allegedly doing 90 miles per hour while asleep

London (CNN Business) — Canadian police have charged a 20-year-old man with dangerous driving after he was arrested for allegedly being asleep at the wheel of a 2019 Tesla Model S while it was operating in its semi-autonomous "Autopilot" mode.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said it received a complaint of a car speeding near Ponoka, Alberta at around 4 pm on July 9.
The vehicle was traveling at more than 140 km (86.9 miles) per hour, with both front seats "completely reclined and both occupants appearing to be asleep," the RCMP said.
Canadian police have charged a 20-year-old man with dangerous driving after he was found apparently asleep at the wheel of a Tesla.
When a police officer approached the vehicle with emergency lights the Tesla "automatically began to accelerate" to 150 km (93.2 m) per hour, the RCMP said. 
After pulling him over, the officer charged the driver, who is from British Columbia, with speeding and suspended his license for 24 hours. After further investigation, police charged him with dangerous driving and he is summoned to appear in court in December.
"Although manufacturers of new vehicles have built in safeguards to prevent drivers from taking advantage of the new safety systems in vehicles, those systems are just that -- supplemental safety systems," Superintendent Gary Graham of Alberta RCMP Traffic Services said. "They are not self-driving systems, they still come with the responsibility of driving."
Tesla did not respond to a request for comment from CNN. 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/18/business/canada-tesla-charge-scli-intl/index.html

[Guest]

This happened in California also. Some young kid was totally asleep while the car was driving down a major freeway. Someone in a car next to him video'd it. Crazy. 

[Guest]

@StickyBun said:
This happened in California also. Some young kid was totally asleep while the car was driving down a major freeway. Someone in a car next to him video'd it. Crazy. 

[Guest]

Unfortunately, I've seen this a few times as well (via video). Falling asleep while driving is bad enough. But to completely recline your seats and actively choose to sleep??

Verdict: Darwinism

[Guest]

@Nichelle said:

Unfortunately, I've seen this a few times as well (via video). Falling asleep while driving is bad enough. But to completely recline your seats and actively choose to sleep??

Verdict: Darwinism

Well you aren't "driving" a tesla... you are riding.
I wouldn't be doing 90mph but my guess is telsa autopilot is probably safer than human error.

[Guest]

@BEO said:

@Nichelle said:

Unfortunately, I've seen this a few times as well (via video). Falling asleep while driving is bad enough. But to completely recline your seats and actively choose to sleep??

Verdict: Darwinism

Well you aren't "driving" a tesla... you are riding.
I wouldn't be doing 90mph but my guess is telsa autopilot is probably safer than human error.

 They have amazing features. I love that you can just summon your car to you. But even with all of that, I'm paying attention.

Else, that once in a blue moon stuff happens:

Autopilot

[Guest]

They are an amazing car and will be the future.  They are working on a battery that will get a million miles!!!!  Currently they have one with about 650,000 miles running on the original battery.
The maintenance on these vehicles is minimum.  Even the braking system is regenerative and pumps electricity back into the battery.  They have a mode where the car will slowly brake when you take your foot off the gas and that is without braking so it saves on brakes.  Many owners say that they haven't needed to change the brakes after 120,000 plus miles.  

I have an older Model S P85 that can do 0-60 in around 4 seconds.  I do enjoy pulling up to sports car revving and just breezing right past them from the get-go.  I will then slow down because I don't drag race.  I have had multiple people stop me at red lights after I show the speed and they are like WTF.  This isn't even the fastest model.  The acceleration is like turning on a light bulb even going from 10mph to 20mph you feel the pull.  No combustion so that is why you can blow past almost everyone.  Fastest production car.  I think the newer X goes 0-60 in 2.8 seconds. 

They ride like a dream almost like you are floating.

My model does not have the auto-pilot and I would not want that anyway.

Alright I'll get off my sales pitch   But I recommend you test drive one because it is not like being in a car.  

[Guest]

@minny65 said:
They are an amazing car and will be the future.  They are working on a battery that will get a million miles!!!!  Currently they have one with about 650,000 miles running on the original battery.
The maintenance on these vehicles is minimum.  Even the braking system is regenerative and pumps electricity back into the battery.  They have a mode where the car will slowly brake when you take your foot off the gas and that is without braking so it saves on brakes.  Many owners say that they haven't needed to change the brakes after 120,000 plus miles.  

I have an older Model S P85 that can do 0-60 in around 4 seconds.  I do enjoy pulling up to sports car revving and just breezing right past them from the get-go.  I will then slow down because I don't drag race.  I have had multiple people stop me at red lights after I show the speed and they are like WTF.  This isn't even the fastest model.  The acceleration is like turning on a light bulb even going from 10mph to 20mph you feel the pull.  No combustion so that is why you can blow past almost everyone.  Fastest production car.  I think the newer X goes 0-60 in 2.8 seconds. 

They ride like a dream almost like you are floating.

My model does not have the auto-pilot and I would not want that anyway.

Alright I'll get off my sales pitch   But I recommend you test drive one because it is not like being in a car.  

My ex-boss has a Model S so I've had the chance to ride and drive. I even put a deposit down on the Model 3 when it was announced. The eventual timing didn't line up with my needs so I canceled. And after seeing one in person, the S would have been my choice between the two of them anyway. An electric vehicle is still in the cards and the Tesla line is pretty incredible. With the passing of time there are more and more options out there so it will be fun to shop them all.

[Guest]

I hope BEV proliferates to the degree I think it can in the states.

Europe has far stricter emission standards than the US and will adapt sooner overall to BEV. 

1). The world needs a plan on what they're going to do with all those batteries (a million mile battery aint happening tomorrow).

2). The charging infrastructure is still weak in much of the US (outside of the coasts).

3). The industry needs a single charging protocol that can work for Tesla and other mfgrs. Imagine pulling into a gas station and they dont have gas for your Chevy, but do for your Nissan? That's whats happening now with BEV. 

But the world is definitely moving in that direction. 

I think Musk is a crazy M'fer and a genius too. What Tesla and Space X has done is mind-boggling and historic.

[Guest]

The charging is not an issue for me and I am in sales and drive in a 4 hour radius but mostly an hour back and forth.  I am in PA.  I did put a charger at my house and just plug in when I get home.  Then when I go on long trips I know where and when to stop (supercharger) and just adjust my plan and do paperwork (which has to be done anyway) while it takes about 45 minutes to get the charge back up to about 260 miles.  It really has never been a problem.

I will say that in my area (and of course MN) the winter sucks the mileage away.  The S charges to 265 but it only gets close to 265 in perfect conditions (speed, temp, altitude).  So, in the winter, when it 15 degrees and I am in the mountains (poconos) plus I drive the turnpike at around 78 average I get around 195 miles out of that 265.  A day like today where it around 65 degrees and I am taking a slow ride into the country cabin I will get close to the 265 miles but I am still in the mountains so probably 250 miles.  

I didn't buy the Tesla because of the fossil fuel but it is a bonus.  I bought it for the ride and speed to be honest.  I also bought it because it made financial sense.  I get gas mileage reimbursement.  Like I said they have Tesla's that have over 600,000 miles so I might not ever need another car.  I know not likely but I am fairly certain I will get over 200,000 which I never have on any of the multitude of cars before.  The cost of replacing the battery keeps coming down as well.  I think around 15K right now but probably closer to 10K in 5 years or less.

Tesla just signed a deal with a company (???) to start developing the 1 million battery. I have a couple of friends (executives) in the fossil fuel business and they know its coming faster then we think.  Never doubt Musk he always surprises

Bottom line - the charging is not an issue and I am in Sales and in the mountains of PA.