On the Bright Side, Maybe It'll Buff Out

Surveillance footage making the rounds is making aviators and Tesla aficionados cringe this week as it shows a remotely summoned Tesla collide with a parked Cirrus Vision at low speed. 

The security camera video reportedly shows the result of a Tesla owner using the Remote Summon feature of his car, an automated capability that uses a combination of sensors and programming to take the car short distances when the owner requests it. Thankfully, the low speed seems to have limited the damage, as the car approaches the tail of the plane at moderate speed before making contact with what appears to be its A pillars and roof. Once touching, the car continues to force its way past, rotating the plane and swinging the tail around about 90 degrees. 

The result should not be too surprising, for those familiar with the difficulties of machine learning and environmental variables. Tesla likely didn't have too many opportunities to test the remote driving feature on airport aprons, especially when surrounded by 11-foot tall V-tail aircraft. Without a long period of acclimatization and training to learn the obstacles inherent to the airport environment, it's not entirely reasonable to expect the feature to perform as one would hope. Hopefully for the owners of both the damage is limited, as anyone familiar with the cost of a Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet is. 

Those familiar with the Tesla's functionality have said the result should have been utterly expected, given its unusual environment of an airport. Whether it was the owner himself summoning his car, or a passenger showing off his ride's nifty party trick is unknown - but like any "D'oh!" of this magnitude, they can't be blamed for keeping quiet. 

FMI: www.reddit.com