Technology

Tesla needs to be a co-defendent in this case.

From the beginning, investigators have focused on how Butler was using Tesla's system. Butler told officials and paramedics that he was working as a DoorDash driver and that the car was in FSD mode before he "passed out" while changing music on the car's touchscreen, according to the affidavit. The affidavit said tests found no alcohol or drugs in his system.

The affidavit says Butler manually pressed the accelerator pedal several times in the neighborhood where the crash occurred, "overriding the default FSD speed." At one point, the car reached 73 miles per hour on the residential street – more than twice the posted limit. The affidavit also notes there was no brake pedal input recorded in the final minute before the crash.

Tesla executives publicly disputed Butler's version of events. On social media, they said the driver pressed the accelerator pedal down and kept it pressed even after the crash. The company says FSD doesn't make its cars self-driving and that drivers still have to stay alert and be ready to step in.

So... A few things.

1. He passed out while changing music?

2. He did not attempt to brake at all and kept pressing the accelerator after the crash.

3. So he still was passed out after crashing into a house at 70+ mph?

That's what he's saying happened, according to his affidavit, and the data from the vehicle. So the exact same thing would have happened in any other vehicle as well, FSD had little impact on the crash. He passed out pressing the accelerator pedal and crashed into a hosw when the road ended. So maybe without FSD it wouldn't have driven as straight, instead veering off to the side of the road, still at 70+ mph. Keeping in mind that manually steering the wheel with a modicum of force disengages FSD, so there was little to no force on the wheel.

I have cruise control in my car, and not the smart cruise control that slows you down if some arsehole pulls out right in front of you. I rented a Toyota Camry for a month that did that. While mine was in the shop. It could also change lanes without you touching the steering wheel. It wasn't FSD, but it could take turns for you. I feel the tech was there, but it wasn't enabled, but it could do it in short bursts. Anyway, MY car doesn't have the adaptive cruise control, just the regular.

My point is, if I'm cruising at 40 and the speed limit drops to 20kph and I get a speeding ticket for not reducing speed, I can't say "well I had cruise on." Sure, but it's up to you to reduce the speed. FSD doesn't absolve you of liability, it's still your car and your responsibility. Not sure how people don't get that. I mean, fuck the elongated muskrat and fuck the regime he's propping up, but let's not go crazy and act like Teslas and other EVs aren't a net positive for the environment. Sure, they have their flaws, but making them out to be murder machines is straight-up false. If you don't want that much tech in your car (I don't — I just want my music and Maps, so I use an aftermarket CarPlay from China and pair to that), don't buy a Tesla. Pretty simple. I kinda want a Tesla though. But I'd rather have a BYD. They're more cost efficient, I think. And I'd rather not support the fascist muskrat.

So as expected, and as has been the case with almost every case where someone blames FSD or Autopilot, the guy has just been lying through his teeth.

It’s like the people who go and scratch up teslas without realising that they’re on camera. Everything these cars do is logged in a black box type manner. You will not win in court by attempting to say it did something it didn’t.