I don’t know if what you’re saying is true but refusing to use technology that would prevent accidents because it will be more difficult to explain the cause of the remaining accidents is a crazy take. And the other self driving car companies use lidar so the NTSB isn’t unfamiliar with the technology.
FWIW Google/Alphabet/Waymo seem to be doing a decent job and seem to really be doing the work to deliver solid (level 4?) self driving. Tesla is just so unserious and are happy to hype their shit up and let consumers believe the hype which leaves people treating their “self-driving” car as if it is really capable of what the average person would envision when you use the term “self driving “. And then it drives through a wall like Wiley E Coyote.
Regardless, they’re clearly doing a shit job.
They have had that capability for at least 7 years now so if it makes you feel any better, it’s been getting tested for a while. Interesting side note, if the car does fuck up and damage another car or injure someone, the TOS says that the owner of the vehicle is liable and Tesla has no culpability.