Denis Balibouse/Reuters
Consumer Reports magazine published an essay Thursday pleading with Tesla Motors to disable its hands-free steering until the system can be better tested. After a fatal crash on May 7, questions have arisen over the model’s capabilities. The influential safety advocate urged the company, among other things, to quit calling the system “Autopilot,” writing “The incident has caused safety advocates, including Consumer Reports, to question whether the name Autopilot, as well as the marketing hype of its rollout, promoted a dangerously premature assumption that the Model S was capable of truly driving on its own.” Laura MacCleery, vice president of consumer policy and mobilization for Consumer Reports, said, “In the long run, advanced active safety technologies in vehicles could make our roads safer. But today, we’re deeply concerned that consumers are being sold a pile of promises about unproven technology.” She added, “Consumers should never be guinea pigs for vehicle safety ‘beta’ programs.”