特斯拉承认,其自动驾驶出租车有时是由真人远程操控的 Tesla admits that sometimes its robotaxis are being driven remotely by humans
文章导读:
特斯拉承认其自动驾驶出租车在“极少数”情况下由远程操作员远程控制，这些操作员主要在车辆低速时介入以应对紧急情况。此举被视为最后的安全保障，但引发了对特斯拉自动驾驶技术真实性和透明度的质疑。美国参议员马克基呼吁相关公司提高透明度，坦诚技术对人工干预的依赖。
重点单词:
- autonomous /ɔːˈtɒnəməs/ (adj.) 自主的，自动的
- operator /ˈɒpəreɪtə(r)/ (n.) 操作员，经营者
- redundancy
- escalation /ˌeskəˈleɪʃən/ (n.) 逐步升级，扩大
- intervention /ˌɪntəˈvenʃən/ (n.) 干预，介入
- scope
- compromising /ˈkɒmprəmaɪzɪŋ/ (adj.) 危险的，妥协的
- mitigating /ˈmɪtɪɡeɪtɪŋ/ (adj./v.) 缓和，减轻
- representative /ˌreprɪˈzentətɪv/ (n.) 代表，代理人
- transparency /trænsˈpærənsi/ (n.) 透明度，公开性
- skeptical /ˈskeptɪkəl/ (adj.) 怀疑的，持怀疑态度的
- teleoperate /ˈtɛlɪˌɒpəreɪt/ (v.) 远程操作
- intervention /ˌɪntəˈvenʃən/ (n.) 干预，介入
特斯拉承认，其自动驾驶出租车有时是由真人远程操控的
Tesla admits that sometimes its robotaxis are being driven remotely by real humans
Elon Musk’s Tesla has admitted there are “rare cases” where its autonomous vehicles are driven by remote workers, according to new documents released Tuesday by Democratic Senator Edward Markey.
Karen Steakley, Tesla’s director of public policy and business development, described the company’s use of “remote assistance operators” in a letter sent to Markey last week. These remote workers can help when a rider or the car’s autonomous driving system requests assistance, she explained.
They can also take control of the vehicle, such as a robotaxi, in certain circumstances.
“As a redundancy measure in rare cases, however, RAOs are authorized to temporarily assume direct vehicle control as the final escalation maneuver after all other available intervention actions have been exhausted,” Steakley wrote.
This is used as a “last resort,” and is “always limited in scope and direction,” she added.
Tesla has admitted there are 'rare instances' in which its robotaxis are driven by remote workers
These operators can only take “temporary control” when the car is driving at 2 mph or slower, according to the letter. Then, if the Tesla’s automated driving system gives them direct access, they can drive at speeds up to 10 mph.
“This capability enables Tesla to promptly move a vehicle that may be in a compromising position, thereby mitigating the need to wait for a first responder or Tesla field representative to manually recover the vehicle,” Steakley added.
Tesla is currently offering autonomous vehicle rides in Austin, Texas, which users can access through the company’s Robotaxi app, according to its website.
The company said its remote assistance operators are in-house employees who work at centers in Austin and Palo Alto, California.
“The Palo Alto RAOs are charged with providing an added layer of redundancy to the Austin service,” Steakley said.
Markey, a Democrat from Massachusetts, published responses from Tesla and six other autonomous vehicle companies as part of an investigation into their use of remote assistance operators.
“Autonomous vehicle companies have long boasted they can eliminate road fatalities caused by human error,” he said Tuesday. “Now it is time they are honest about their technology’s reliance on human help.”
Markey, who released a report detailing his findings, highlighted the importance of transparency from autonomous vehicle companies.
“That Tesla’s RAOs are permitted to teleoperate the vehicle makes it even more important that the company is transparent about the frequency of RAO interventions,” his report states.
“Second, given Tesla’s history of misleading consumers about the true level of autonomy in its vehicles through brand names such as ‘Full Self-Driving’ — which, despite the name, still requires constant human supervision — the public may be rightfully skeptical that Tesla’s robotaxis are truly autonomous and are not quietly relying on RAOs or teleoperators,” the report continues.
