In July 2020, a Canadian man was charged with dangerous driving and speeding in Alberta for allegedly sleeping in a self-piloted Tesla between Edmonton and Calgary. In the December 11^th court trial, witnesses claimed that the driver Leran Cai and his passenger were asleep with their seats fully reclined, traveling 150 km/h (93 mph). His next court appearance was scheduled for January 29, 2021, but no information has yet been released on the outcome.

Tesla has a feature called AutoPilot, which enables autonomous driving on the highway, even though drivers are required to keep their hands on the steering wheel at all times to take back control as needed. Drivers must apply a slight amount of torque on the wheel every so often to signal to the system that they are still engaged. Apparently, there are ways to trick that safety feature with weights so you can take a nap. It is unclear if that is what Leran Cai did in this case.

Falling asleep in a Tesla has made many headlines in the past several years. Here are just a few of the incidents:

• Driver Falls Asleep, Wrecks Tesla In South Brunswick, NJ (Patch)
• Video appears to show Tesla driver ‘literally asleep at the wheel’ (USA Today)
• Another Tesla Driver apparently Fell Asleep—here’s what Tesla could do (ArsTechnica)
• Tesla is sued by the family of a Japanese man who was run over and killed by a car on Autopilot after the driver fell asleep behind the wheel (Daily Mail UK)

Tesla announced in October 2020 that all future Tesla vehicles would have self-driving capability. Many articles were written about this announcement, but this headline from The Verge caught our eye: Tesla’s ‘Full Self-Driving’ Beta is here, and it looks scary as Hell. This post also has a subtitle, “Using untrained consumers to validate beta-level software on public roads is dangerous.”

At the end of The Verge post, Ed Niedermeyer, communications director for Partner for Automated Vehicle Education (a group that combines nonprofits with AV automakers such as Waymo, Argo, Cruise and Zoox) said:

“Public road testing is a serious responsibility, and using untrained consumers to validate beta-level software on public roads is dangerous and inconsistent with existing guidance and industry norms. Moreover, it is extremely important to clarify the line between driver assistance and autonomy. Systems requiring driver oversight are not self-driving and should not be called self-driving.”

In the United States, motorists and automakers still have no clear-cut autonomous driving guidelines. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has recently been criticized by the National Traffic Safety Board (who inspects these driverless car incidents) for not better regulating the autonomous levels of driving between full driver control, Level 0, and complete system control, Level 5.

Also, if you build the technology, does that mean consumers will buy it? Does self-driving technology really make everyone safer on the road? Many questions remain. It doesn’t seem that Tesla, or anyone else, has yet figured out how to make autonomous driving systems foolproof.

Let’s face it, automakers aren’t good at regulating themselves, and bureaucratic government agencies like the NHTSA often try to accommodate everyone and end up protecting no one—especially, in this case, drivers and passengers.

In the meantime, do you want to share a highway with a sleeping driver on autopilot?

Buell is Back. Buell Motorcycles are back in production

Grand Rapids, MI – Buell Motorcycles is back in production in America. The new Buell® Motorcycles will launch 10 performance models by the 2024 model year. The exciting models will be representative of the superbike performance and handling expected of the legendary Buell brand. Exciting times ahead for fans of American Motorcycles.

“Buell is back!” said Bill Melvin, CEO. “We are excited to bring Buell back with this awesome assortment of superbikes and performance motorcycles. We start with the fastest American production motorcycles, hand built in the USA, so that’s a nice start! We’re building out those platforms for more touring & adventure models, then we’re expanding our displacements to be competitive with other global brands. The passionate Buell Nation can grow and thrive again.”

Buell Motorcycle upcoming models will include variants for dirt, dual-sport, touring, and cruisers while expanding the line up to include medium and small displacement motors. Buell is also in the initial exploration phases for a high-performance Electric model and is open to collaboration ideas with other companies. The models currently in production are built by hand in Grand Rapids, Michigan and based on the high-performance 1190 platform, known for the innovation of Fuel in Frame, Perimeter Brake Rotor, exceptional handling, and high horsepower.

“Buell is known as the American brand for high performance, innovation, & adventure. Fast is fun again on a Buell. We will continue and expand on that,” said Melvin. “We have already launched a dirt bike with Cipala Racing that won an AMA Championship and Buell will be dominating at NHRA this year. Follow us Facebook and Instagram where we’ll showcase passionate fans, new developments, as well as racers and riders having fun on a Buell. The future will be fast and fun on a Buell.”

EBR Motorcycles acquired the Buell brand in early 2020 and began developments to bring Buell back. Buell will be present at Daytona Bike Week 2021 at J&P Cycles Destination Daytona Mega Store. Visit the Buell booth for gear, to view current models, and learn about the developments of the fast and fun American Motorcycle brand.

Buell is back and racing to the future!

Website: www.BuellMotorcycle.com

THE COUNTDOWN IS ON!
Bike Week Rolls into Daytona Beach in 15 Days
If you haven’t made your plans to attend the 80th Anniversary Bike Week in Daytona Beach on March 5-14, what are you waiting for? Scenic rides, championship motorcycle racing at Daytona International Speedway, and of course, 23 miles of wide, white-sand beaches await your arrival. Don’t miss out on all the sun, fun and racing action — book your Bike Week getaway today!