What Next: TBD

What’s Causing the Tesla Crashes?

Two men died after their car plowed into a tree. Police say no one was at the wheel.

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Episode Notes

Last week, a Tesla Model S crashed into a tree in a neighborhood north of Houston. Both men inside the car were killed. But according to police, neither of them was in the driver’s seat.

This is not the first crash in which Tesla’s “autopilot” feature has likely played a role. Should we really be trusting this technology?

Guest:
Missy Cummings, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Duke University

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About the Show

Every Friday, Slate’s popular daily news podcast What Next brings you TBD, a clear-eyed look into the future. From fake news to fake meat, algorithms to augmented reality, Lizzie O’Leary is your guide to the tech industry and the world it’s creating for us to live in.

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  • Lizzie O’Leary is the host of What Next: TBD, Slate’s show about technology, power, and the future. Previously, she created and hosted Marketplace Weekend. She has reported for CNN, Bloomberg News, and the New York Times Magazine, among others. She is also a contributing writer at the Atlantic.