Tesla owners report crashes and near misses with 'smart summon' feature

Jalopnik reports that Tesla owners are already reporting issues with Tesla vehicles new Smart Summon feature just a few days after the release of Elon Musk’s new Version 10 software update. The new update allowed Tesla owners to play the video game Cuphead and watch Netflix while in park, and also enables the new Smart Summon feature which allows users to call their vehicles to drive to them without human control.

While this feature sounds impressive in theory, soon after the update rolled out, users took to Twitter to discuss some of the issues they’ve faced with the new feature. Many users reported that their vehicles were colliding with objects and causing damage when using the feature.

Tesla has specified that the feature is currently in beta, but it appears that it is nowhere near ready for public use. Tesla has been promoting the possible future self-driving aspects of its vehicle as a major selling point for its cars, but many have questioned whether Tesla vehicles are as capable of autonomous driving as the firm claims.

David Friedman, Vice President of Advocacy for Consumer Reports, said in a press release in April:

Technology has the potential to shape future transportation to be safer, less expensive, and more accessible. Yet, safety must always come first. Today’s driver assistance technologies have helped deliver on safety, but the marketplace is full of bold claims about self-driving capabilities that overpromise and underdeliver. For instance, Tesla’s current driver-assist system, ‘Autopilot,’ is no substitute for a human driver. It can’t dependably navigate common road situations on its own, and fails to keep the driver engaged exactly when it is needed most.