One Luxury Automaker Thinks Semi-Autonomous Technologies Are Dangerous

That automaker happens to be Jaguar. Stephen Boulter, project head for the Jaguar XF recently told Mashable that the automaker believes semi-autonomous technologies are dangerous because they create a "false sense of security" for drivers. The reason is technologies like this aren't fully reliable or fool-proof yet.

Boulter points to Tesla's Autopilot system as an example. He said letting owners use Autopilot without any restrictions was "very irresponsible" and set autonomous technologies back if a fatality was to happen.

"If something happens [with Autopilot], it could set the technology back a decade," said Boulter.

Jaguar Is Not The first Critiquing Autopilot

Boulter isn't the first to criticize Tesla's decision to fully open up Autopilot. BMW chief executive Harald Kruger said last week Tesla's mentality to launch Autopilot in an almost unfinished state doesn't make sense in the automotive world.

“In the app industry, you can launch products on the market that are 70 to 80 percent ready and then complete their development with the customer. That is absolutely impossible with safety features in a car,” Kruger said to German newspaper Handelsblatt.

Tesla will be addressing this in a forthcoming update for the Model S. The update will constrain Autopilot to limit the 'crazy things' owners have been doing with the system.

While Jaguar will be holding off on semi-autonomous technologies, the automaker is working on fully autonomous vehicles. Boulter tells Mashable the automaker will begin testing self-driving cars on the roads in Gaydon, England in the near future.

We understand Jaguar's reluctance to go forward with semi-autonomous technologies as there major concerns about safety and the possibility of lawsuits. But the reluctance of putting any form of semi-autonomous system could put Jaguar back years when other automakers are going forward.

This isn't the only news concerning autonomous vehicles. Yesterday, Hyundai and Kia announced they have gotten the approval of the state of Nevada to begin testing their autonomous vehicles on open roads.