Recently, Raffi Krikorian, Chief Technology Officer at Mozilla and the former head of Uber's autonomous driving unit, penned a detailed account in The Atlantic about a harrowing car accident. The incident unfolded as he was driving a Tesla Model X, with the FSD (Full Self-Driving) feature activated, on a residential street in the Bay Area. As the vehicle approached a curve, the FSD system abruptly malfunctioned, causing the steering wheel to jerk violently. Despite attempts to decelerate, the car crashed into a concrete wall, leaving the vehicle completely wrecked. Krikorian sustained a concussion and neck injuries, while his child, seated in the back, emerged unscathed. He emphasized that FSD is categorized as a Level 2 driver-assistance system, placing full accountability for any mishaps squarely on the driver. He also highlighted Tesla's tendency to use in-car data to deflect blame. Moreover, he argued that 'supervised' autonomous driving systems are inherently flawed, as consistent, reliable performance over time can lead to 'vigilance decay,' lulling drivers into a false sense of security and causing them to lower their guard.
