Doubts on Car Safety Raised by Tesla Whistleblower

According to a former Tesla employee, the self-driving technology used in Tesla's vehicles is not safe enough for public roads. Lukasz Krupski leaked data, including customer complaints about Tesla's braking and self-driving software, to German newspaper Handelsblatt in May. He claimed that his concerns were ignored when he attempted to report them internally. Tesla did not respond to requests for comment. Despite this, Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, has been a strong advocate for the company's self-driving technology, stating that it has the best real-world AI. In an interview with the BBC, Krupski expressed his concerns about how AI is being used in Tesla's autopilot service. He stated that the hardware and software are not yet ready, which is a concern for everyone as public roads become testing grounds for this technology. Krupski discovered evidence in the company's data that indicated certain requirements for the safe operation of vehicles with autonomous or assistive-driving technology were not being met. He also found customer complaints about phantom braking, where vehicles randomly brake in response to non-existent obstacles. Krupski felt compelled to share his findings with data protection authorities. The US Department of Justice has been investigating Tesla since January over its claims regarding assisted driving features. Tesla has also faced scrutiny from agencies like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Handelsblatt published the "Tesla Files" after Krupski shared internal data he had discovered, and the data protection authority in the Netherlands has confirmed that it is investigating the data breach. While Krupski's actions have been recognized with an award, they also raise wider concerns about the safety of autonomous vehicles. Jack Stilgoe, an associate professor at University College London, stated that this situation is a test case for artificial intelligence in real-world scenarios. The UK Government has announced plans for an Automated Vehicles Bill to establish a legal framework for self-driving cars. However, Stilgoe expressed the need for the bill to address the novel aspects of this technology.