cwerdna said:
...http://electrek.co/2016/07/01/images-aftermath-fatal-tesla-autopilot-crash-video/ has news coverage and an image of the decimated car. They spoke to a person who said a woman doing 85 mph was passed by the Model S, in question...
I'd describe that S as
demolished, and am glad that no photos of the driver's remains have been published...so far.
As to who was at fault for the collision, if the S was traveling at far above the 65 mph limit, I think the truck driver might be found to be not at fault. Reportedly, the S's
black box data was recoverable, so that information should eventually be available.
I have read conflicting reports of how much above the speed limit Tesla's are allowed to travel with autopilot engaged.
IMO, conforming with maximum speed limits should be part of the AV system, with the understanding speeds might be
officially raised for AVs which have far faster reaction times and are much safer at high speeds than are human-driven vehicles.
On the other hand, once AVs are available, the
need for speed should be greatly reduced.
The primary reason trucks speed (~62 mph is the
unofficial speed of the right lane on most California freeways, while the official truck and trailer limit is 55 mph) is the high operating cost per hour of the human driver.
I am looking forward to the time when ALL trucks are autonomous, and stay in the right lane on freeways, driving at the same speed limit, rather than finding my vehicle being repeatedly blocked in the fast lanes by one truck passing another at far below the 70 mph limit (not to mention, the unofficial California ~80 mph limit) for passenger vehicles.
As to autonomous passenger vehicles, I'd expect we will be able to safely increase
official the fast lane speeds, with the certainty that AVs will be designed to never exceed those higher limits.
But I expect you'll still see a lot of passenger AVs in the slower lanes, as the ability to work, sleep, or engage in...other activities, instead of wasting time driving, will mean those vehicles passengers also to want to travel at more energy-efficient speeds.