November 02, 2024 – According to a report published by Business Insider on October 31st, Tesla has formed a specialized internal testing team, dubbed “Project Rodeo,” to facilitate the rollout of its autonomous driving technology.
The media outlet gained insight into the project through interviews with nine current and former “Project Rodeo” testers, as well as three autonomous driving engineers located in California, Texas, and Florida.
These testers are tasked with evaluating the company’s unreleased self-driving software on open streets, aiming to bridge the gap between driver-assistance technologies and fully autonomous driving.
Citing the report, testers described the project as highly demanding on their concentration, likening the entire testing process to “a cowboy riding a bull, trying to stay on for as long as possible” to gather more data for improving the autonomous driving system.
Testers reported feeling like they were “dancing with danger” during the tests, as they were instructed to refrain from intervening in the autonomous driving process unless a collision was imminent.
Some test drivers recounted harrowing experiences, including narrowly avoiding collisions with pedestrians. Former testers revealed that they sometimes ventured into bar districts to observe the software’s reactions to intoxicated patrons.
Despite being encouraged to minimize interventions, many drivers still chose to take control of the vehicle when they felt uneasy. Tesla engineers acknowledged that allowing the software to continue driving, even when it makes mistakes, yields more valuable data.
Experts emphasized the importance of public testing for identifying safety issues. However, they also noted that current autonomous driving regulations are relatively lax, and many companies rely on self-reporting, adding complexity to public safety concerns.
Tesla’s testing methodology has sparked questions about its safety and responsibility. Some experts believe that Tesla’s approach, which involves risk testing on public roads, is irresponsible and that all critical scenario testing should be conducted in controlled environments.
Testers confessed that “your adrenaline is constantly pumping during the 8-hour workday, making it extremely challenging to maintain focus.”
