Rabu, 26 Februari 2020

Tesla Autopilot crash driver 'was playing video game' - BBC News

An Apple employee who died after his Tesla car hit a concrete barrier was playing a video game at the time of the crash, investigators believe.

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the car had been driving semi-autonomously using Tesla's Autopilot software.

Tesla instructs drivers to keep their hands on the wheel in Autopilot mode.

But the NTSB said more crashes were foreseeable if Tesla did not implement changes to its Autopilot system.

The authority has published the results of a two-year investigation, following the crash in March 2018.

Tesla's Autopilot software steered the vehicle into the triangular "gore area" at a motorway intersection, and accelerated into a concrete barrier.

The front of the Tesla separated from the rear, causing two other drivers to crash.

The Tesla driver, 38-year-old Walter Huang, was taken to hospital but died of his injuries. The other drivers survived.

The NTSB said:

The Tesla driver had not taken control of the car because he had been distracted by a smartphone video game
The Tesla's collision avoidance system was "not designed to detect the crash [barrier]"
Tesla's Autopilot system did not "provide an effective means of monitoring the driver's engagement"

The use of Tesla's Autopilot software has been implicated in several crashes.

The system lets the car operate semi-autonomously, changing lanes and adjusting its speed.

But critics say the "Autopilot" branding makes some drivers think the car is driving fully autonomously.

The NTSB said the driver had been "over-reliant" on the software.

Tesla does instruct drivers to keep their hands on the wheel when using Autopilot, and an audible warning sounds if they fail to do so.

But the NTSB said "monitoring of driver-applied steering wheel torque is an ineffective surrogate measure of driver engagement".

"If Tesla does not incorporate system safeguards that limit the use of the Autopilot system to those conditions for which it was designed, continued use of the system beyond its operational design domain is foreseeable and the risk for future crashes will remain," it said.

Recommendations

The NTSB ended its report with several recommendations including:

improving collision avoidance systems to include common obstacles such as traffic barriers
evaluating Tesla's Autopilot to determine whether the ability to operate it "outside the intended operational design" posed an unreasonable risk to safety
preventing automation complacency in drivers
requiring all new passenger vehicles with semi-autonomous features to be equipped with a driver monitoring system that meets new standards

It also suggested smartphone manufacturers should develop a "distracted driving lockout mechanism" to "disable any driver-distracting functions when a vehicle is in motion but that allows the device to be used in an emergency".

And it urged Apple to "implement a company policy that bans the non-emergency use of portable electronic devices while driving by all employees and contractors".

The NTSB also found a impact-absorbing crash barrier hit by the Tesla had been "in a damaged and non-operational condition at the time of the collision".

It said the California Highway Patrol had failed to report damage following a previous crash and it was "likely" the Tesla driver would have survived the crash if the barrier had been replaced.

BBC News has contacted Tesla for its response.

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2020-02-26 14:03:42Z
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Disney shares down 2% after 'surprise' CEO change - Reuters

(Reuters) - Shares of Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) fell 2% on Wednesday after the media giant’s surprise move to replace top boss Bob Iger raised questions on Wall Street if his successor Bob Chapek had sufficient experience in the entertainment business.

The logo of the Walt Disney Company is displayed above the floor of the New York Stock Exchange shortly after the closing bell as the market takes a significant dip in New York, U.S., February 25, 2020. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

Chapek headed Disney’s parks business, its largest, and oversaw the opening of the company’s first theme park and resort in mainland China and the creation of the new Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge lands at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

While Wall Street analysts were largely positive about the change, some were skeptical.

“Bob Chapek has less (content experience), having spent his Disney career in distribution of content and/or the physical world of parks, retail, and consumer products (ie, minimal storytelling, despite the fact that even he says that storytelling is at the center of Disney’s value proposition),” Needham analyst Laura Martin said.

Two former employees Reuters talked to expressed surprise that Kevin Mayer, chairman of Direct-to-Consumer and International, was not named to the top job, especially after the roll-out of the Disney+ streaming service, which attracted 10 million sign-ups in its first day.

Most analysts, however, agreed that the move ended years of speculation on who would take over Hollywood’s most powerful studio, built up by Iger through acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and 21st Century Fox.

“The move takes CEO succession uncertainty off the table; we expect the markets to digest this news and ultimately give Chapek the benefit of the doubt as the new CEO,” Cowen and Company analysts wrote in a note.

To be sure, Iger is still keeping a significant role at the company. He will assume the post of executive chairman and direct the company’s “creative endeavors”.

“The fact that Bob Iger believes it’s a full time job to sort out the content assets over the next 2 years implies it’s a bigger mess over at the Fox content assets than we thought,” Martin said.

Chapek will face some immediate challenges including building on the early success of Disney+ and charting a strategy for Hulu to be profitable, Cowen analysts added.

Shares of the company were down 2.1% at $125.5 in premarket trading, set for its fifth consecutive session in red.

Reporting by Amal S and Munsif Vengattil in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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2020-02-26 13:21:00Z
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Tesla and Panasonic will no longer work together on solar cells - Engadget

Panasonic will stop building solar cells at Tesla's New York Gigafactory 2 plant, the company revealed in a press release. That means Panasonic won't be working on Telsa's latest Solar Roof tiles, though it won't impact their Tesla EV battery partnership. Still, it's not a great sign for the two companies, especially considering that Tesla might start building its own EV batteries.

Panasonic said that the decision stems from a "broader streamlining of its global solar operations," and won't impact Tesla's future solar growth business plans. It added that "Tesla plans to hire qualified applicants to new positions needed to support its solar and energy manufacturing operations in Buffalo."

Tesla received state support from New York for the Gigafactory project in the form of grants totaling around $750 million. In return, it's required to spend $5 billion in the state over a decade and employ 1,460 workers in Buffalo. Failure to do so would result in a $41 million fine against the company. However, Tesla told New York that the Panasonic split "has no bearing on Tesla's current operations," according to a statement it gave to Reuters.

This decision will have no impact on Panasonic and Tesla's strong partnership in Nevada. The two companies will continue their industry-leading electric vehicle battery work taking place at Tesla's Gigafactory outside of Reno, Nevada.

While Tesla's EV division is doing well after a "production hell" period, the company has struggled with its solar power company. Employees recently reported production line problems with the cells and tensions with Panasonic, causing delays to both regular solar panels and Tesla's Solar Roof. Elon Musk's exacting standards for the design of the Solar Roof tiles has also caused friction between the companies, according to an earlier Reuters report.

For its latest Solar Roof (designed to generate electricity while looking like a regular slate roof), Tesla has been using Chinese-built solar cells rather than Panasonic's cells. Panasonic, meanwhile, has reportedly been selling its photovoltaic cells, originally intended for Tesla, to other third-party companies in Japan and elsewhere.

Panasonic will continue to market solar cells under its own brand name, while helping Tesla recruit current and new employees. It also tried to water down any concerns about the EV battery partnership. "This decision will have no impact on Panasonic and Tesla's strong partnership in Nevada," Panasonic said in the press release. "The two companies will continue their industry-leading electric vehicle battery work taking place at Tesla's Gigafactory outside of Reno, Nevada."

Source: Panasonic

Coverage: Reuters, Nikkei

In this article: gear, Gigafactory 2, green, New York, Panasonic, photovoltaic, solar cell, Solar Roof, Tesla

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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2020-02-26 12:01:36Z
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BTS rides with James Corden for 'Carpool Karaoke' - CNN

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2020-02-26 10:18:27Z
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Dow's Slump, Coronavirus Warnings, Bob Iger, Salesforce, Tesla - 5 Things You Must Know Wednesday - TheStreet

Dow's Slump, Coronavirus Warnings, Bob Iger, Salesforce, Tesla - 5 Things You Must Know Wednesday

Stock futures fall and add to the worst four-day selloff on Wall Street since December 2018; health officials are warning the coronavirus likely will spread to the United States; Bog Iger steps down as CEO of Walt Disney; Salesforce co-CEO Keith Block will depart.

Author:: Joseph Woelfel
Updated:: Feb 26, 2020 5:53 AM EST
Original:: Feb 26, 2020

Here are five things you must know for Wednesday, Feb. 26:

1. -- Stock Futures Extend Declines on Warnings of Spread of Coronavirus

Stock futures extended declines Wednesday, adding to the worst four-day selloff on Wall Street since December 2018, following warnings from health officials that the coronavirus likely will spread to the United States.

Contracts tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 73 points, S&P 500 futures dropped 2.35 points and Nasdaq futures slumped 17 points.

The S&P 500 has lost 7.6% in the last four days after hitting a record high a week ago. The declines have led to $2.14 trillion in losses, according to S&P Global.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that Americans should be prepared for the disease to spread in the United States.

“It’s not so much a question of if this will happen anymore, but rather more a question of exactly when this will happen - and how many people in this country will have severe illness,” said Dr. Nancy Messonnier of the CDC in a call with reporters.

The advice followed similar warnings from the World Health Organization, which urged countries to step up their defense systems as the number of global infections rose past 81,000 and the death toll reached 2,762 - including more than 50 outside of China, where the virus was first identified in late 2019.

2. -- Lowe's, Square, Box and Moderna Report Earnings

Earnings reports are expected Wednesday from Lowe's (LOW) - Get Report, TJX Cos. (TJX) - Get Report, Square (SQ) - Get Report, Box (BOX) - Get Report, Booking Holdings (BKNG) - Get Report, Wendy's (WEN) - Get Report, L Brands (LB) - Get Report, AMC Networks (AMCX) - Get Report, Moderna (MRNA) - Get Report, Marriott International (MAR) - Get Report and Etsy (ETSY) - Get Report.

The economic calendar in the U.S. Wednesday include New Home Sales for January at 10 a.m. ET and Oil Inventories for the week ended Feb. 21 at 10:30 a.m.

3. -- Disney CEO Bob Iger Steps Down in Surprise Announcement

Walt Disney (DIS) - Get Report CEO Bog Iger stepped down Tuesday and Bob Chapek, who has led Disney Parks, Experiences and Products since 2018, was named as Iger’s successor.

Iger, who last year said he planned to resign in 2021, becomes executive chairman of Disney and will “direct the company’s creative endeavors,” the media and entertainment giant said.

“The company has gotten larger and more complex,” Iger said during a conference call with analysts. “I should be spending as much time as possible on the creative side of our businesses.”

As for the decision to choose Chapek, Susan Arnold, independent lead director on the board, said the directors have been "actively engaged in succession planning for the past several years, and after consideration of internal and external candidates, we unanimously elected" Chapek as CEO.

Iger's announcement caught many inside and outside of Disney by surprise.

“No one knew this was coming,” one senior Disney executive told The Wall Street Journal.

Walt Disney is a holding in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS member club. Want to be alerted before Jim Cramer buys or sells DIS? Learn more now.

4. -- Salesforce Slumps on Co-CEO Block's Departure

Salesforce.com (CRM) - Get Report was falling 3.18% to $175.50 in premarket trading Wednesday after announcing that co-CEO Keith Block was stepping down.

Remaining chief Marc Benioff worked to assure investors that Salesforce's leadership remained strong despite Block's departure.

The announcement that Block was leaving the company - he assumed the co-CEO post alongside Benioff in August 2018 - came as a surprise given that many observers of Salesforce viewed him as a successor to Benioff, who co-founded the company 21 years ago.

On a call with shareholders, Benioff said that Block’s departure wouldn't cause any interruption in the company’s business execution this year. Block will remain as an adviser to Benioff, the company said in a press release.

“When you look at our total management team that Keith and I have built ... I think it is the finest management team in the software industry and maybe any industry,” said Benioff.

"As for the stock, while Block's departure may raise questions about keyman risk at the company, we note the bench is deep with COO Bret Taylor and Adam Selipsky, chief of Tableau, which CRM recently bought," said Jim Cramer and the Action Alerts PLUS team, which owns Salesforce in its portfolio.

In its fourth-quarter earnings report, which was released alongside the news of Block’s departure, Salesforce posted better-than-expected revenue and raised its first-quarter sales guidance. It also announced that it acquired Vlocity for $1.33 billion.

5. -- Tesla and Panasonic End Solar Cell Partnership

Tesla (TSLA) - Get Report and Japanese electronics maker Panasonic have ended their partnership to produce solar cells after years of struggling to ramp up output at the Gigafactory 2 in upstate New York, the Nikkei Asian Review reported.

Tesla reportedly has been using solar cells from other manufacturers in its solar roof tiles.

The companies formed a joint venture to manufacture solar cells at the plant in Buffalo, New York, in 2016.

Tesla and Panasonic plan to continue working together on automotive batteries for Tesla’s electric vehicles, the Nikkei reported.

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2020-02-26 10:12:36Z
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Colbert remixes Sanders' debate line with '90s rap - CNN

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2020-02-26 09:39:54Z
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Selasa, 25 Februari 2020

Consumer confidence rises less than expected in February - CNBC

Consumer confidence rose less than expected in February as people's assessment of current conditions wavered, data released Tuesday by The Conference Board showed.

The consumer confidence index came in at 130.7, up from 130.4 in January. Economists polled by Dow Jones expected a print of 132.6. The Conference Board's present situation index, which accounts for consumers' assessment of the current business and labor environment, dropped to 165.1 from 173.9 in January.

The confidence index's weaker-than-forecast print comes a day after the stock market had its worst day in two years, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling more than 1,000 points, amid concerns over the coronavirus' impact on the global economy.

"Despite the decline in the Present Situation Index, consumers continue to view current conditions quite favorably," said Lynn Franco, senior director of economic indicators at The Conference Board, in a statement. "Consumers' short-term expectations improved, and when coupled with solid employment growth, should be enough to continue to support spending and economic growth in the near term."

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2020-02-25 15:00:00Z
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