When a Tesla electric vehicle equipped with the company’s Autopilot feature is involved in a crash, Tesla often relies on data from the car to refute allegations that its technology is responsible. However, what about the customers who contribute to the collection of that data?
While Tesla promptly leverages Autopilot data to counter claims of malfunctions, the company is less forthcoming about sharing this information with its customers or even asking for their consent prior to public disclosure, as reported by The Guardian. The publication noted it was unable to find any instances where Tesla sought permission from customers before releasing data when Autopilot was implicated in an accident.
The Guardian also highlighted a situation where Tesla explicitly denied a request from a vehicle owner seeking access to data from his own car. A Swiss driver, who opted to remain anonymous, wished to view data after his Model S was involved in a collision with a van on the highway. Although he identifies as a “Tesla fanboy,” he expressed concern about being deprived of information that could help him in a legal defense.
The Swiss Model S owner had requested data logs from his vehicle, but Tesla has not made such detailed information available to the public. The automaker typically shares selective details to counter what it perceives as unfair claims regarding Autopilot made by vehicle owners. Previous disclosures include information about a Montana Tesla driver who was not holding the steering wheel during a crash in June 2016, and a California driver who deactivated Autopilot by applying the brakes, resulting in an accident that the driver blamed on a fault in the system.
“Autopilot has been shown to save lives and reduce accident rates, and we believe it is important that the public have a factual understanding of our technology,” Tesla stated, defending its practices.
“In exceptional instances where claims have already been made publicly about our vehicles by customers, authorities, or others, we have released data to either support or refute these claims,” the company explained. “The privacy of our customers is extremely important to us, and in these circumstances, Tesla only discloses the minimum amount of information necessary.”
Tesla clearly views it as crucial to correct any misconceptions surrounding Autopilot. Despite its designation, Autopilot is not a fully autonomous system but rather a collection of driver-assist technologies akin to those offered by other manufacturers. The name “Autopilot” has sparked confusion among customers regarding the system’s true capabilities. The feature faced significant scrutiny following a fatal incident in May 2016 involving a Model S in Autopilot mode, although a subsequent investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) absolved Tesla of any fault.
According to Tesla’s privacy policy, the company reserves the right to “transfer and disclose information, including personal and non-personally identifiable information… to protect the rights, property, safety, or security of the Services, Tesla, third parties, visitors to our Services, or the public as determined by us in our sole discretion.”
UPDATE: Tesla informed The Drive that, regarding the Swiss driver mentioned by The Guardian, it provided all necessary information as per the Swiss Data Protection Act and did not disclose any details from that incident to the media.
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