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Opinion
Edward Niedermeyer

Lesson of the Tesla Crash: Man and Machine Must Work Together

Automakers need to ensure that motorists understand today's "self-driving" cars can't really drive themselves.
Keep your hands at 10 and 2, folks.

Keep your hands at 10 and 2, folks.

Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg

Almost as soon as news broke of a fatal crash involving Tesla's Autopilot last year, fans and detractors of the electric-car manufacturer have been clear on the tragedy's causes. Tesla's supporters and investors have never doubted that the system improves safety, so the driver must have failed to heed Tesla's warnings and remain attentive. Detractors and short investors, on the other hand, have been all but certain that Autopilot somehow failed to protect the car's driver, allowing him to drive directly into a semi at 74 miles per hour. 

QuickTake Driverless Cars