I'm Bob and still an alcoholic. A retired 73 year old engineer, I prefer to speak when there is new technology or techniques to share.
In 2019 at age 69, I bought a Tesla and paid extra fro Autopilot. I knew that as I grew older eyesight, hearing, and reaction times would weaken and I wanted computer assistance to extend my driving. Happily, Autopilot paid for itself two months later.
My wife and I left for a weekend visit but I forgot to pack my CPAP machine. I have sleep apnea and the CPAP machine ensures I get a good nights sleep, But the 3 day trip accidentally became 14 days, beyond CPAP skip window,
Driving home into the morning sun, I had 5 micro-sleep events of 15-20 seconds that Autopilot kept the car in the lane and not running off the road into the ditch or a power pole. Dynamic cruise control also kept the car at the set speed adjusting to any traffic getting too close. My narcoleptic wife told me about the first two and then I recognized the symptoms of the next three. But Autopilot is not Robotaxi.
Autopilot expects the driver to pay attention. If you ignore it for a minute or so, it will send warnings and eventually disengage, the equivalent of “Hold my beer. WATCH THIS!” Micro-sleeps are brief but intoxication lasts longer.
Two years later, my wife of 43 years passed away. So I often added an extra shot or on a hot day, a frozen margarita. Not an excuse, just what happened, Combined with undiagnosed, 'pink eye' led to a traffic stop and blowing a 0.10 where the legal limit is 0.08. That led to one of two DUIs and under probation, alcohol treatments.
Of the different probation directed classes and programs, Alcoholics Anonymous is the only program, a fellowship, I continue with after my DUI charges were dismissed. This posting is one of the AA steps.
Bob Wilson
In 2019 at age 69, I bought a Tesla and paid extra fro Autopilot. I knew that as I grew older eyesight, hearing, and reaction times would weaken and I wanted computer assistance to extend my driving. Happily, Autopilot paid for itself two months later.
My wife and I left for a weekend visit but I forgot to pack my CPAP machine. I have sleep apnea and the CPAP machine ensures I get a good nights sleep, But the 3 day trip accidentally became 14 days, beyond CPAP skip window,
Driving home into the morning sun, I had 5 micro-sleep events of 15-20 seconds that Autopilot kept the car in the lane and not running off the road into the ditch or a power pole. Dynamic cruise control also kept the car at the set speed adjusting to any traffic getting too close. My narcoleptic wife told me about the first two and then I recognized the symptoms of the next three. But Autopilot is not Robotaxi.
Autopilot expects the driver to pay attention. If you ignore it for a minute or so, it will send warnings and eventually disengage, the equivalent of “Hold my beer. WATCH THIS!” Micro-sleeps are brief but intoxication lasts longer.
Two years later, my wife of 43 years passed away. So I often added an extra shot or on a hot day, a frozen margarita. Not an excuse, just what happened, Combined with undiagnosed, 'pink eye' led to a traffic stop and blowing a 0.10 where the legal limit is 0.08. That led to one of two DUIs and under probation, alcohol treatments.
Of the different probation directed classes and programs, Alcoholics Anonymous is the only program, a fellowship, I continue with after my DUI charges were dismissed. This posting is one of the AA steps.
Bob Wilson