Elon Musk is known for delving into the future when paving the way for autonomous vehicles. However, Tesla’s latest announcement brings us back to 1979.
Tesla has a new “Mad Max” option in development for the Tesla Semi’s AutoPilot system.
It’s real pic.twitter.com/L9h3F86Guo
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 25, 2018
The Blind Spot Threshold refers to the distance allowed between the vehicle and cars in other lanes. Tesla’s categories include Standard, Aggressive, and Mad Max. As you ascend the option list, the distance required between vehicles for the truck to switch lanes will minimize.
Musk recognizes the ease of bullying an autonomous semi, as it will always yield. This new option will allow bolder lane changes without skimping on safety.
As reported by The Street, some traffic requires drivers to be a bit more combative. Musk tweeted that they will most likely include a manual override.
It’s a tough call. Reality is that it will be pretty easy to bully a self-driving car, as it will always yield. Will prob have a manual override that requires continuous press for hardcore lane changes.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 25, 2018
Musk looks to conquer the balance between efficient automation and user control, while refusing to sacrifice safety for innovation. That being said, we probably won’t see Musk mounting his “Not a Flamethrower” atop the big rig (which would totally complete the movie-inspired concept) anytime soon.
The new mode is still in the works and must take into consideration the reactions of fellow motorists. Autonomous vehicles still require an attentive driver. Only time will tell if Mad Max is an effective option for a real life Fury Road.