After Germany, Tesla’s Autopilot Now Under Fire In The UK

Matthew Avery of Thatcham Research, who is also an Euro NCAP board member, said that he and the organizations for which he works have long “warned of the pitfalls to the Autopilot system,” which “is not a self-driving system. It is there to provide driver assistance, not to become an invisible chauffeur.”


While Tesla claims that all of their new models are already equipped with the necessary hardware needed in the future for full self-driving, the system currently utilizes an array of features that merely walk the line between Level 2 and Level 3 autonomy – such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance and automated emergency braking.


Furthermore, Thatcham Research says that certain UK Tesla owners recently received an email that read: “Our records indicate that you haven’t upgraded your Model S… to Full Self-Driving Capability. You can upgrade now at a reduced price of £2,200.” – if true, this is troubling on multiple levels.