[aduric]

So why call it 'autopilot'? Seems like bullshit marketing to me. The first association we make when we hear that term is hands-off, not 'advanced cruise control'. They're specifically using that terminology to sell their products and now they're paying the price.

[zip1234]

In an airplane, autopilot still requires the pilot to pay attention.

[slavik81]

In an emergency, an airplane pilot often has time to pull out the operating handbook, flip through to the emergency checklist for their particular problem, and follow the instructions. Even for time-critical emergencies, it's recommended to read through the checklist afterwards to ensure you didn't forget anything [1].

By contrast, it would be very unsafe to be reading the Tesla owner's manual while driving. The level of attention required is much higher.

[1]: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/publications/tp11575-e...

[dsabanin]

Most people are not pilots to know that.