DRIVING BEHIND A TESLA:

In upstate New York, there is a general speed limit of 55 mph where no other limit is specified. And thus 55 was the speed limit for most of our time on this road. As all normal people know, at least in this area, 55 does not really mean 55. The most common speed of traffic on this road is between 60 and 65, and you will not get a ticket even up to 70. But this Tesla was going exactly 55. Not 56 or 54, but 55.

Then we approached an area with some population and businesses. Heading into that area, the speed limit dropped to 45, although the speed limit sign came several hundred yards before the buildings. Right at the sign, the Tesla slowed down to precisely 45. That’s when my daughter remarked that this car had to be operating in self-driving mode. . . .

Then, back at 55, we could see in the distance a school bus approaching from the opposite direction. Several hundred yards ahead, it stopped. Its red lights began flashing. A “STOP” sign swung out on its driver’s side toward our lane of traffic. Its door opened. There was plenty of time for cars going our direction to stop. A couple of little kids came out the door.

And then the Tesla blew by at full speed!

Oops. I guess they haven’t programmed the school bus thing into the operating system just yet. Fortunately the kids weren’t trying to cross the highway at that moment.

Very surprised that the Tesla wasn’t programmed to stop for a school bus — or that even if it wasn’t, it wasn’t triggered to stop by the stop sign that swung out. Obviously someone at Tesla needs to fix this bug ASAP.