alert

According to a recent government filing obtained by Reuters, U.S. regulators are delaying a ruling on low-speed sound alert requirements for electric and hybrid cars until at least mid-March 2016.

A ruling on this issue has been in the works since 2013, when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimated that the odds of an electric or hybrid vehicle being involved in a crash with a pedestrian are 19% higher compared with a louder gas-powered vehicle.
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During the conference call to discuss the company’s third quarter financial results, Tesla CEO Elon Musk commented on the recent release of the Autopilot and the ways Model S owners are using it. Musk said that the company was aware of many accidents that were prevented by Autopilot, and not aware of any caused by it.

But he added that they saw some “fairly crazy” videos on Youtube, which is now prompting the company to implement some additional constraints on when Autopilot can be activated, in hope of making it more difficult for owners to place themselves in those “crazy” situations.
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The rules regulating the use of Tesla’s Autopilot are often vague or even non-existent depending on the jurisdiction, but the California DMV is working to change that. The organization is due to release a draft of consumer rules for the use of autonomous features in vehicles.

Earlier this year, the agency sent a letter to Tesla to clarify the autonomous features of the Autopilot update and state officials even met with the company the day before the release (Oct. 14) according to the San Jose Mercury News. Yet the DMV still appears to be confused about the workings of Tesla’s Autopilot…
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