Can Tesla Cars See Ghosts?
Tesla is a pioneer of modern electric vehicles. It has at times had to fight an uphill battle in proving that EVs are a viable replacement for internal combustion engine (ICE) cars. For the past decade, its cars have proven to be “sportscar quick” thanks to the torque from their motors, as well as being capable of covering hundreds of kilometers on a single charge.
Apart from driving performance and range, Tesla vehicles are also packed with great advanced driver assistive systems (ADAS) that allow them to accelerate, cruise, brake, and steer throughout a journey.
Their plethora of cameras and sensors can monitor the road ahead, navigate past obstacles and apply the brakes when they sense a potential collision. Drivers and passengers can see the car’s magical technology at work on the main display screen. It accurately shows the vehicles around the car, the path it is taking, as well as the movements of passing pedestrians.
The technology is so smart that people say it’s only a matter of time before Tesla vehicles will be legally allowed to drive you to your destination, autonomously. That said, the ADAS system has also developed a reputation for “seeing” things that aren’t physically there.
Yes, I am talking about ghosts. Several viral videos have popped up on YouTube and TikTok these past few years of drivers claiming that their Teslas are seeing “people” who aren’t there. Would this be possible? Can Tesla’s pedestrian monitoring system be so advanced that it can detect paranormal activity?
One video posted by @s1na shows a Tesla being driven around a cemetery at night. Despite cruising slowly and with no pedestrians in sight, the car seems to erratically show on its screen, people working by the car and disappearing shortly after.
The video presenter does use profanity throughout the clip to describe the horror of what he “witnessed” and as such, viewer discretion is advised.
https://youtube.com/shorts/JzO_miG3H9U?si=M8_UhgWG-8HZJd6X
It’s a spooky occurrence, which a few other Tesla owners have managed to replicate with varying degrees of success. Some people are convinced that their cars can spot people who aren’t physically there. However, there may be a scientific explanation as to why these “sightings” might occur.
According to an article on nationthailand.com, Dr Jessada Denduangboripant, a science lecturer from Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University, said that these Tesla cars’ cameras and sensors are probably picking up “false positives”, detecting inanimate objects like flowerpots but interpreting them as actual people.
His advice to drivers who encounter such “occurrences” is to update their vehicle software. In his opinion, such errors could pose a problem in real life. That’s because the cars may spot potential dangers that aren’t there, which may cause them to step on the brakes, leading to an actual accident.
It’s a plausible explanation of overactive sensor or software behavior. They could mistakenly be “spotting” invisible pedestrians. Sensors usually emit either light or sound waves to “see” obstacles. These waves will need to bounce off solid objects and return to said sensors for them to “sense” what’s ahead and its proximity to the car.
Tesla’s new cars have about eight different cameras monitoring the immediate area around them with a 360-degree view. Could it be possible that they are able to see better than our own eyes and peer into the metaphysical?
