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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has concluded an investigation into Teslas Autopilot driver assistance system after reviewing hundreds of crashes, including 13 fatal incidents that led to 14 deaths. The organization has ruled that these accidents were due to driver misuse of the system. However, the NHTSA also found that Teslas weak driver engagement system was not appropriate for Autopilots permissive operating capabilities. In other words, the software didnt prioritize driver attentiveness. Riders using Autopilot or the companys Full Self-Driving technology were not sufficiently engaged, because Tesla did not adequately ensure that drivers maintained their attention on the driving task." The organization investigated nearly 1,000 crashes from January of 2018 until August of 2023, accounting for 29 total deaths. The NHTSA found that there was insufficient data to make an assessment for around half (489) of these crashes. In some incidents, the other party was at fault or the Tesla drivers werent using the Autopilot system. The most serious were 211 crashes in which the frontal plane of the Tesla struck a vehicle or obstacle in its path and these were often linked to Autopilot or FSD. These incidents led to 14 deaths and 49 serious injuries. The agency found that drivers had enough time to react, but didnt, in 78 of these incidents. These drivers failed to brake or steer to avoid the hazard, despite having at least five seconds to make a move. Thats where complaints against the software come into play. The NHTSA says that drivers would simply become too complacent, assuming that the system would handle any hazards. When it came time to react, it was too late. Crashes with no or late evasive action attempted by the driver were found across all Tesla hardware versions and crash circumstances, the organization wrote. The imbalance between driver expectation and the operating capabilities of Autopilot resulted in a critical safety gap that led to foreseeable misuse and avoidable crashes. The NHTSA also took umbrage with the branding of Autopilot, calling it misleading and suggesting that it lets drivers assume the software has total control. To that end, rival companies tend to use branding with words like driver assist. Autopilot indicates, well, an autonomous pilot. Californias attorney general and the states Department of Motor Vehicles are also investigating Tesla for misleading branding and marketing. Tesla, on the other hand, says that it warns customers that they need to pay attention while using Autopilot and FSD, according to The Verge. The company says the software features regular indicators that remind drivers to keep their hands on the wheels and eyes on the road. The NHTSA and other safety groups have said that these warnings do not go far enough and were insufficient to prevent misuse. Despite these statements by safety groups, CEO Elon Musk recently promised that the company will continue to go balls to the wall for autonomy. The findings could only represent a small fraction of the actual number of crashes and accidents related to Autopilot and FSD. The NHTSA indicated that gaps in Teslas telematic data create uncertainty regarding the actual rate at which vehicles operating with Autopilot engaged are involved in crashes. This means that Tesla only receives data from certain types of crashes, with the NHTSA claiming the company collects data on around 18 percent of crashes reported to police. With all of this mind, the organization has opened up another probe into Tesla. This one looks into a recent OTA software fix issued in December after two million vehicles were recalled. The NHTSA will evaluate whether the Autopilot recall fix that Tesla implemented is effective enough.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nhtsa-concludes-tesla-autopilot-investigation-after-linking-the-system-to-14-deaths-161941746.html?src=rss
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Wacom displays and tablets have been handy tools for artists and designers since the 1980s, offering to swap a mouse for a pen for drawing, photo editing and more. That lineage includes pen displays: screens that connect to your computer that you draw on directly with a stylus. But, Wacom says it has created something entirely new just a few weeks before Apple is set to upgrade its iPad displays. The latest pen display model is called Movink, and it's the company's first with a OLED screen. It's also Wacom's thinnest and lightest option ever, while still offering 13 inches of work space. Inside, a Samsung-made OLED panel offers full HD resolution with 10-bit color and a 100,000:1 contrast ratio. Thanks to the qualities of OLED, you can expect "perfect black point," according to Wacom. Since color accuracy is paramount for artists, the Movink covers 100 percent DCI-P3 and 95 percent of Adobe RGB, with a Delta E difference of 2 or less. The company says the pen display is factory calibrated to industry standards and stores up to two custom color profiles. It's also validated by both Pantone and Pantone SkinTone, with further calibration available in the Wacom Color Manager. The OLED panel has benefits besides just appearance. Wacom says Movink has the fastest response time of any of its pen displays and offers increased pen detection height. The company promises no ripples or light leakage and the device runs cooler and quieter than other models. Movink is a touch display too, with two customizable buttons on its thin bezel for quick access to your most-used tools. Wacom Wacom says Movink is the thinnest and lightest pen display it has ever made, weighing in at just 420 grams and measuring 4 millimeters at its skinniest point. The company explains that this is 66 percent thinner and 55 percent lighter than the Wacom One 13 Touch, a comparably-sized option designed more for beginners. The screen is covered in Corning's Gorilla Glass and the body is made of magnesium alloy, so you can carry it around in a bag with your laptop without worry. Of course, the pen is a crucial part of this setup. The Movink comes with a specially designed version of the Pro Pen 3, which Wacom says provides the same experience as the one on the Cintiq Pro line of displays. More specifically, the Pro Pen 3's sensitivity and tilt detection assists with everything from detailed digital painting to fine line work. Wacom refined the pen nib design to increase visibility, which should improve the overall drawing experience. The nib remover and replacement nibs are stored inside the pen, so you can quickly fix any issues even if you're working outside of your normal studio space. The Movink is also the first pro-grade pen display to support Wacom's Dual Pen tech, allowing you to use styli from other companies. The list of supported devices includes pens from Samsung, Staedtler, Lamy, Dr. Grip and more. Plus, you can use Wacom's UD pens from the One line of devices as well as older versions of the Pro Pen with the Movink. The display is compatible with Windows, macOS, ChromeOS and Android, connecting to your laptop or desktop machine via a single USB-C cable (15-watt power delivery required). Wacom Movink is available now from the company's online store for $750 (850 and 730). The company will also offer a foldable stand for $80 and for $45. However, both of those items are currently listed as out of stock. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wacoms-first-oled-pen-display-is-also-the-thinnest-and-lightest-it-has-ever-made-145234664.html?src=rss
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Earlier this week, noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo posted an updated forecast for Apples Vision Pro headset, claiming production was being cut to 400,000 or 450,000 units compared to a previous market consensus north of 700,000. This came after a related report from Bloombergs Mark Gurman, who said in his Power On newsletter that demand for Vision Pro demos is way down while sales in some locations have significantly slowed. Naturally, this incited a lot of panic and hand-wringing among Apple enthusiasts who feared that the headset that was supposed to change VR forever might not have the staying power they expected. However, before anyone else starts clutching their pearls, I want to let you in on a secret: It doesnt actually matter how many headsets Apple sells. Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget First, lets talk production numbers. Is it 400,000 or 800,000, or something in between? Back in January, the same Ming-Chi Kuo estimated that the company sold between 160,000 and 180,000 units during its initial pre-order weekend, which was up from previous production predictions of around 60,000 to 80,000. But if we go back even further to last July, the Financial Times cited two people who said Apple only asked its supplier to make fewer than 400,000 units in 2024 while other sources put that number closer to 150,000. Now obviously numbers are subject to change over time as Apple responds to feedback and interest from developers and the public. Regardless, trying to predict the exact number of devices to make is extremely tricky, especially for an attention-grabbing and innovative product that has been the subject of rumors dating back to 2015 (and even before that, according to some very early patent applications). Still, lets take that 400,000 number and see how far it goes. Without factoring in accessories (some of which are very important, especially if the owner wears glasses), the Vision Pro sells for $3,500. Rough napkin math suggests that Apple is looking at around $1.4 billion in sales. Thats a pretty big number and for a lot of other companies, that would represent a banner year. But this is Apple were talking about it raked in $383 billion in 2023 with around $97 billion in net income. And that was considered a down year. So we're talking less than one percent of the companys total revenue, which is basically a rounding error for Apples finances. Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget That figure looks even less impressive when you consider all the research and development that went into making the Vision Pro. Apple is always cagey when it comes to revealing how much money it invests into various departments. But if we look at another major player in VR, Meta, we can get a better sense of what Apples VR budget might look like. According to Business Insider, based on an analysis of regulatory findings, Metas Reality Labs has lost nearly $50 billion since the start of 2019. Thats a serious chunk of change and more than enough to cause some consternation among investors, with Metas stock recently falling big after its most recent earnings report. But all these numbers are just noise. Analysts like to look at this stuff to help predict company growth, though theyre so busy focusing on quarterly numbers that they often miss the bigger picture. Depending on who you ask, Apple has more cash on hand than any other company in the world, with upwards of $165 billion sitting in a bank somewhere. And with recent reports claiming that Apple has canceled its secretive car project, Id argue that the company may want to double down on its headset endeavors. Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget Thats because the Vision Pro might be the first step towards a platform that could reshape the companys entire trajectory like the original iPhone did back in 2007. From the start, it was clear Apples first handset would have a massive impact. But when people look back, they never cite the iPhones first year of sales, which according to Statista only amounted to around 1.4 million units. Sure, thats more than 400,000, but that was also for a significantly less expensive device and a drop in the bucket compared to the HUNDREDS of millions Apple has been selling more recently. Those figures were meaningless. The Vision Pro is Apples Field of Dreams device for virtual reality, spatial computing or whatever you want to call the category that encompasses head-mounted displays. Apple had to build it so developers have actual hardware to test software on. Apple had to build it so theres a platform for people to download apps from. (If you remember, the original App Store didnt arrive until July 2008, more than a year after the OG iPhone went on sale and on its own made an estimated $85 billion in 2022.) Apple had to build it to plant a flag, lest they cede the first mover's advantage completely to Meta or someone else. Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget Even though Id posit that the Vision Pro is a glorified dev kit (it was announced at WWDC after all), there are features that evoke the magical feeling I had the first time I used an iPhone. The Vision Pro has possibly the best optics Ive seen on any headset, including enterprise-only models that cost way more than $3,500. It also has the best eye-tracking Ive experienced, and it makes navigating menus and apps incredibly intuitive. It just kind of works. And slowly but surely, its getting better, as my colleague Devindra noted in his recent two-month check-in. Just like Apples first phone, though, the Vision Pro isnt without its issues. Its heavy and not super comfortable during long sessions. Its wired battery pack isnt the most elegant solution for power delivery. Its front visor is prone to cracking, typing still feels clunky and there arent enough bespoke apps to make it an essential part of your everyday tech kit. But those are fixable issues and theres clearly something there, a foundation that Apple can iterate on. Even in its infancy, the Vision Pro brings enough to compel hundreds of thousands of people (or developers) to buy a device that doesnt make much practical sense. The focus should be on what upgrades or additions Apple can make in the future, not on how many units it does (or doesnt) make. So dont let analysts or other noisemakers convince you otherwise.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/it-doesnt-matter-how-many-vision-pro-headsets-apple-sells-ming-chi-kuo-production-numbers-143112470.html?src=rss
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