I saw the Tesla Robotaxi:
- Drive into oncoming traffic, getting honked at in the process.
- Signal a turn and then go straight at a stop sign with turn signal on.
- Park in a fire lane to drop off the passenger.
And that was in a single 22 minute ride. Not great performance at all.
Depending on how exactly the laws are worded, they might even get away without paying fines. Many traffic codes define that only the driver (not the owner of the car) can be fined, and these robo taxis don’t have drivers.
Oh yes they do… The diver is Tesla, inc. There’s no problem with charging a company fines, that’s easy. It is difficult to issue higher penalties though, jail time, or license revocation. We’ll need to work out solutions for that, they should not get off free.
But we can certainly fine the driver…
That’s where law is not justice.
I do agree with your sentiment, but if the law defines a driver as a human, which is usually the case, then by definition Tesla cannot be the driver.
It could even be that the passenger sitting in the driver’s seat of a robotaxi would be defined as the driver.
And sure, these laws need to be adapted before robotaxis should be allowed to hit the streets.
The system of corporate veiling of responsibility is going to kill us all. What should happen is every single person who signed off on, voted for, or materially contributed to the implementation of this dangerous hardware should be prosecuted for criminal negligence. Gut the C-suite and the board.
You aren’t wrong.