Consumer Reports says Tesla should drop 'autopilot' name and disable automatic steering

Consumer Reports magazine is calling on Elon Musk's Tesla Motors Inc. to change the name of its Autopilot semiautonomous driving system and to disconnect the automatic steering feature after a fatal crash in Florida. The magazine said in a statement that calling the system "autopilot" promotes a dangerous assumption that Tesla vehicles can drive themselves. It also said the automatic steering should be disconnected until it's updated to make sure a driver's hands stay on the steering wheel at all times. In an email, a Tesla spokeswoman said that the electric car company has no plans to change the name, and that Autopilot is safer than cars operating without the electronic assistance of cameras, radar and computers. Tesla Motors Inc. has ended its resale guarantee program in North America.