'Elon Musk's Crash Course' explores the limits of Tesla's 'self-driving' technology

Musk did not work with the filmmakers, who focus on Tesla’s safety record, several fatalities related to the technology and perhaps most importantly, Musk’s history of repeatedly saying that true self-driving technology is “two years away”, illustrated by clips of the CEO who has moved the goalposts time and time again since 2015.

In addition, the film will premiere as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a new investigation this month into the circumstances surrounding another accident involving a Tesla in Newport Beach, California.

As Times reporter Cade Metz points out, when pressured on the matter, Musk has tended to “double up on it,” adding that in terms of his public optimism about when that space-age concept would become a reality: “It’s very easy to say these things. And there’s no control over him.”

“Crash Course” includes interviews with several regulators as well as former Tesla employees, such as software engineer Raven Jiang, who notes that self-driving technology has been seen as a major selling point and that it’s hard to distinguish Musk’s relentless sales skills from whether or not he fully believes what he says.

The manufacturers also have test drives that show blind spots in the Autopilot function, including difficulties in identifying stationary objects that increase the risk factor.

Even with appropriate disclaimers, the term “self-driving” raises certain expectations about the degree to which a person behind the wheel must be involved in its operation, obscuring coverage. Musk’s high profile and reckless entrepreneurial image have also contributed to the romance surrounding the company, with Times reporter Neal Boudette saying, “Tesla fans hear what they want to hear.”

Tesla has said it is still the driver’s responsibility to pay attention to what the car is doing, even in Autopilot, and that the driver should be ready to take charge in the event of any software issues.

But critics suggest Musk’s statements have fueled perceptions beyond what Autopilot can currently achieve, such as an interview in which he revealed that self-driving technology will soon “provide full autonomy. Safer than a human.”

“Too many people interpret the term Autopilot to mean ‘Human involvement is no longer necessary,’” said Christopher Hart, former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board.

Now that Musk has been in the news a lot, “Crash Course” offers a glimpse into this extraordinarily outspoken and controversial billionaire and the corporate culture he nurtures. But more importantly, it raises questions about the safety of Tesla owners when they use Autopilot now, not where they will be two years from now.

“The New York Times Presents Elon Musk’s Crash Course” premieres May 20 at 10 p.m. ET on FX and Hulu.

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