Tesla verdict is a warning not to trust Autopilot marketing

Miami Herald

4 hours ago

The recent $329 million verdict against Tesla in Miami is a clear warning to anyone captivated by 'Autopilot' marketing.
In 2019, when a young woman was killed and her fiancé suffered permanent injuries, data showed Tesla's system detected the stopped vehicle ahead, but didn't apply the brakes. The jury found that Tesla oversold its safety features and that drivers shouldn't have to dig through dense manuals or inspect the code to understand those limits, nor should crash victims have to battle a major corporation in court to get justice.
This case isn't just about one company; it sets a precedent for every business pitching 'smart' or 'autonomous' features. Whether it's delivery drones, ride-share apps, or the next slick dashboard update, consumers must demand clear, enforceable definitions of terms like 'Autopilot' and 'Full Self-Driving.' Without standardized labels and honest disclosures, we risk turning Florida's highways into unregulated test tracks, where real people bear the cost of corporate hype.
If you feel misled by a manufacturer's portrayal of what your car, or any device, can do, file a complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or Florida's Division of Consumer Services.
Our legislators must enact laws requiring plain-English, consistent labeling for automated-driving functions so that 'Autopilot' means precisely what it promises.
Technology should protect us, not gamble with our lives. Let's insist on products that live up to their marketing, or make those who oversell half-baked features pay the price.
Merick Lewin,
managing partner,
Good Guys Law,
Plantation
Donald Trump became famous for, among other reasons, saying 'You're fired!' on his reality show, 'The Apprentice.'
In the White House, however, that meant dismissing anyone who disagreed with him — FBI directors, scientists, generals and honest election officials.
On Aug. 1, he fired Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer for reporting something he didn't like: that job growth in the U.S. had slowed to a near-halt.
For Trump, loyalty to himself matters more than truth and leadership. This behavior is more typical of authoritarians than of true leaders.
Delia DeVarona Garcia,
Miami
I have read all the articles lately about Miami-Dade County's budget issues. These issues have become glowing examples of county leaders' poor planning. Mayor Levine Cava spoke about the three years the county received plenty of extra money. However, it seems these funds were squandered.
One example is that the new Sheriff's office has a roughly $3 million shortfall to change uniforms, badges and rebrand police vehicles. This was a voter referendum in 2018. They knew it was coming.
Why weren't funds set aside for this during the 'fat' years?
The Aug. 8 Miami Herald article discussed county leaders' thoughts on cutting the special needs programs that had been funded in previous years. This is total financial mismanagement.
Robert J. Lynch,
Davie
As the owner and operator of several large businesses, I appreciate the difficulty in working with my team to establish annual budgets that make economic sense for the company, enjoyable work experiences for our employees and top tier products for our customers. That process relies on prudent business practices, transparency, communication and heart.
Reading the Aug. 8 Miami Herald article, 'Charities facing cuts ask Miami-Dade mayor: Save the safety net, don't 'unravel' it,' made me appreciate just how lucky we are to have Mayor Daniella Levine Cava at the helm. Balancing prudent business practices and community responsibility is not easy. We voted her into office because we trusted her and we felt that she would always do right for the community while governing county finances with smart financial planning.
We also voted for her because she is fair, honest, hardworking and most importantly, she has a high moral character, hence, we must appreciate that every decision she makes is for the right reason. Determining which agencies get cut and by how much is difficult, but that is a reality we all must understand and accept.
As my late father Stanley G. Tate always said, 'Keep your nose to the grindstone and push forward.'
James D. Tate,
North Miami
The Trump administration has ordered universities to submit information regarding applicants' race, gender and who knows what else. This appears to be just another invasion of our private lives.
Private universities are just that — private. They exist by the product they supply. If that product is insufficient to meet the need for employment or acceptance into society, then they have failed and it is not up to our prevailing government to admonish or punish them. They may fall of their own accord by lack of financial or societal support.
Our society has more than enough guardrails to keep our citizens on the right track as to race and gender without our all-knowing government poking into university life.
Bill Silver,
Coral Gables
August 13 is International Left-Handers Day, founded in 1976 to celebrate the uniqueness and challenges of left-handed people worldwide.
Studies show that about 10% of people are left-handed. Scientists are unsure why some people have a dominant left hand, though there may be a connection between genetics and environment. Some left-handers are found to have more left-handed relatives than average.
Based on brain function, some southpaws proudly declare that 'left-handers are the only ones in their right mind.' Being a lefty, however, comes with some difficulties.
Many desks and tools are geared more for right-handers than left-handers. Most handshakes are done with the right hand. Even lefty contestants on the hit game show 'Wheel of Fortune' are at a disadvantage when they spin the wheel.
Some, however, believe lefties are more artistic and creative than righties, a claim backed up by recent research in the American Journal of Psychology. That study revealed that lefties are better at divergent thinking than righties.
That may explain why Mozart, Michaelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci — all left handers — were so gifted. Lefties are also found across the sports and entertainment world.
Tom Emery,
Carlinville, IL
Millions of dollars cut from cancer research. Millions of dollars cut from vaccine research. Millions of dollars cut from other medical research. Cuts to Medicaid also.
All of this is putting older and vulnerable people at risk. The Trump Republican Party is not MAGA; it is MOVAD — Make Older Vulnerable Americans Dead.
Leon Botkin,
Miami