Among motorcyclists, there is a persistent rumor that Teslas are dangerous to ride around in traffic. Whether it’s their silent electric drivetrain, extreme acceleration, or self-driving technology supposedly failing to see motorcycles, every biker seems to know someone who’s had a close call with a Tesla. Our new analysis of data from the NHTSA on […]
But it’s pretty clear why Teslas are hitting motorcycles. The cars are only using cameras and are improperly recognizing motorcycles on the road. Every other self-driving car uses LIDAR which detects the physical presence of an object.
My bet is that the Tesla thinks the narrow set taillights on the motorcycle are actually that of a car in the distance therefore assuming, wrongly, that the road is clear and hitting the rider.
This was an atrocious read.
But it’s pretty clear why Teslas are hitting motorcycles. The cars are only using cameras and are improperly recognizing motorcycles on the road. Every other self-driving car uses LIDAR which detects the physical presence of an object. My bet is that the Tesla thinks the narrow set taillights on the motorcycle are actually that of a car in the distance therefore assuming, wrongly, that the road is clear and hitting the rider.