Post #1620444

2026-03-18 16:05 UTC

@kajord @ai6yr @Rycaut A related problem in this "paradox of automation" discussion is that a lot of these techbros got in their imaginations that they should completely redesign the entire cockpit. They think they can "optimize" and "be more efficient" by moving or removing manual controls, since "self driving" means they're not needed. IIRC, there has been more than one forensic investigation where people died in Teslas not in the crash, but because they couldn't get out of the fire.

Replies (5)

@johannab@cosocial.ca 2026-03-18 16:10

@kajord @ai6yr @Rycaut Tesla blamed the victims claiming the doors could still be opened manually and they didn't even "try". But where did they put the manual door releases? I can't remember which model it was in which accident, but the "oops power's off, use the manual door handle" handle was somewhere on the floor of the car by the side of the seat? That's a standards violating, deadly, design failure.

Open ##1620446
@ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org 2026-03-18 16:12

@johannab @kajord @Rycaut WAY MORE than one "stuck in a car with no way to open the doors" death in those. Usually a couple a month.

Open ##1620450
@kajord@hachyderm.io 2026-03-18 16:15

@johannab @ai6yr @Rycaut the Model 3 design where there is nothing on the dashboard behind the steering wheel, but you have to look to your right on a big touch screen to see the speedometer is ludicrous.

Open ##1620513
@Rycaut@mastodon.social 2026-03-18 16:17

@johannab @kajord @ai6yr the lack of manual door controls in the back seats of Teslas some models have hidden as in you need to read the manual ways to open a door in back in case of a power loss but some models don’t have any way to force the read doors open is a huge reason as a parent I never considered a Tesla. I don’t want to have to try to teach a young child how to open a door in a very complex manner in an emergency.

Open ##1620524
@wtrmt@mastodon.social 2026-03-18 16:17

@johannab @kajord @ai6yr @Rycaut there’s an excellent report on the subject by Bloomberg’s that really drives the point home: https://youtu.be/2lFzqBt3z0w

Open ##1620527