>The problem is that Tesla's taken systems intended as driving assists and branded them using terms like "Autopilot" that imply that a human doesn't need to be in the loop.

Even in aviation, 'autopilots' don't mean the pilot can leave the cockpit unmanned. Human pilots are needed at all times in case the autopilot disengages due to unexpected conditions.

The distinction being that, when an airplane's autopilot disengages, the pilot's typically going to have a couple minutes to evaluate the situation and determine how to react appropriately, because airplanes typically don't just fall out of the sky. Tesla's "autopilot" gives you seconds to react if you wait until it disengages, if it knows to disengage at all.

Most Tesla purchasers aren't pilots; the meaning communicated to them but the branding "autopilot" isn't based on experience in aviation, it's based on popular culture.

Exactly this, someone needs to tell the Tesla PR department to scale back. Same goes for the 'bio weapon' defense thing.