Recently, a fatal accident involving a new electric vehicle brand, resulting in three deaths, has once again sparked concerns about so-called “autonomous driving” capabilities. According to currently available information, the vehicle’s “autonomous driving” system failed to recognize a construction zone despite clear warning signs posted along the route, providing an alert only 2–3 seconds before impact. This left the driver with an extremely short window to react.
From a regulatory standpoint, the driver still bears primary responsibility for accidents unless mechanical issues unrelated to driver input are proven, regardless of whether the “autonomous driving” system was activated. Yet, as more accidents become associated with these “autonomous” systems, one must question whether the exaggerated marketing of “autonomous driving” by automotive manufacturers plays a role in these incidents.
Over the past couple of years, a notable phenomenon has emerged: many consumers outside the technology sector have largely acquired their understanding of AI concepts and technical terminology through the promotional events and sales materials of automakers touting “autonomous driving.” Terms like “end-to-end” and “TOPS” suddenly turned vehicles—originally transportation tools—into the prime showcase of high technology, making “autonomous driving” capabilities a key factor in consumers’ purchasing decisions.
However, given the current state of technology and legal preparedness worldwide, even achieving Level 5 autonomy (with most current models remaining between Levels 2 and 3), the so-called “autonomous driving” systems should strictly be described as “driver-assistance.” This is not merely a matter of technological limitation but involves critical legal implications regarding liability. Automakers are well aware of this distinction, often providing disclaimers and fine-print warnings buried deep within their manuals and marketing materials. Despite this, “driver-assistance” has already been widely replaced by the term “autonomous driving” in broader advertising.
Due to continual exaggerated marketing, consumers are unconsciously losing their sense of driving responsibility, mistakenly believing that “autonomous driving” is inherently better and safer. Although certain “autonomous systems” indeed offer helpful assistance, they are far from capable of fully replacing human judgment, particularly in complex or unconventional traffic situations.
It is particularly troubling that automakers typically showcase their highest-end configurations when demonstrating “autonomous” capabilities, neglecting the reduced computing power, fewer sensors, and lower-quality cameras installed in mid- to lower-tier models. Even worse, some manufacturers fail to adequately adapt their algorithms to these reduced hardware configurations, inevitably leading to computation errors and delayed decisions, significantly increasing accident risks.
Terms such as “intelligent” or “autonomous” inherently carry ambiguity, easily misleading consumer perception regarding safety. Given the proven potential for such terms to distort consumer judgment, clear legal guidelines should urgently be introduced to restrict their marketing usage and impose strict penalties on exaggerated claims. Until the law explicitly shifts ultimate responsibility away from drivers, all driving assistance systems, no matter their marketing, must be categorized strictly as “driver-assistance.” Consumers should also clearly understand that no automaker today will assume legal responsibility for faults in these “smart systems,” and moreover, proving system defects remains beyond the practical ability of ordinary consumers.
Do not market driver-assistance as autonomous driving!
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Say Goodbye to dismiss: A State-Driven Path to More Maintainable SwiftUI
In SwiftUI development, the environment value dismiss is widely favored for its flexibility and adaptive behavior. It smartly handles dismissing views according to their context, making it the go-to tool for many developers. However, convenience can come at a cost. Overusing dismiss may introduce subtle bugs, testing difficulties, and hidden stability issues. This article explores why we should be cautious with dismiss and introduces a more robust and reliable state-driven management approach.
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