Hacker News Reader

Comment by undersuit | Hacker News Reader

It is autopilot.

> Sterling Archer : I thought you put it on autopilot!

>Rip Riley : It just maintains course and altitude! It doesn't know how to find THE ONLY AIRSTRIP WITHIN A THOUSAND MILES SO IT CAN LAND ITSELF WHEN IT NEEDS GAS!

Why would you attribute Tesla's autopilot with more abilities than the basis of the term?

>Autopilot, Enhanced Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Capability are intended for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment.

The fully attentive driver is important. In the Archer TV quote from above Rip, the pilot of the Loosey Goosey, has just been knocked unconscious for a number of hours.

View on HN

In English law (and since then in Canadian, Australian and Hong Kong law) there's the concept of the "man on the Clapham omnibus". It means an hypothetical ordinary person.

I can reasonably argue that the man on the Clapham omnibus understands "autopilot" to mean little or no human intervention is expected.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_on_the_Clapham_omnibus

There we go. Regulations on pilots include training on operation of autopilot. The training of autopilot in personal vehicles is not connected to the regulations of operators of personal vehicles.

Modern autopilot systems can land. In fact they can do anything except takeoff: https://www.flypgs.com/en/travel-glossary/autopilot

Tesla apologist always try to make things up about autopilot to downplay the clearly irresponsible name.

Tesla autopilot systems can do basic tasks too. Can modern autopilot systems in planes handle things outside their abilities? Like a variable crosswind while landing?

Tautological question. Can a Tesla autopilot handle things outside its abilities? The answer is right there in the question.

Which is strange, because taking off is far easier than landing.

I believe the limitation on takeoff is a conscious decision by the manufacturers designed to ensure a pilot is present (similar to Tesla's hands-on-the-wheels) and not a technical limitation.

That makes an astonishing amount of sense.

> It just maintains course and altitude! It doesn't know how to find THE ONLY AIRSTRIP WITHIN A THOUSAND MILES SO IT CAN LAND ITSELF WHEN IT NEEDS GAS!

In fact a lot of modern autopilots can take full control, find the nearest airport and land when the pilot becomes incapacitated.

https://www.wired.com/story/cirrus-garmin-vision-jet-autolan...

The "Safe return autoland" feature can be triggered by the passengers.

> just been knocked unconscious for a number of hours

You should try not to be unconscious for too long, that's like, super bad for you.

The scene from Archer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93OfrUek-G4

Reply on news.ycombinator.com