Tesla Unveils Cheaper EV Models

 

 

“Tesla has long promised a cheaper model. On Tuesday, the company unveiled stripped-down versions of its bestselling SUV and sedan, but the new lower prices don't quite cover the recently expired $7,500 EV tax credit.

 

Tesla introduced a "standard" Model Y and Model 3 that lack features such as wraparound ambient lighting and power-adjusted steering wheels [A], hoping to draw in budget-conscious buyers.

 

The standard Model 3 costs $36,990 and the standard Model Y $39,990, putting them among the least-expensive electric vehicles for sale in the U.S. and better positioning Tesla to compete globally against low-cost EVs coming out of China.

 

The lower-cost Model Y replaces a lightbar across the front with two conventional headlights, and has a different roof design. Both vehicles swap part of the vegan leather seats for cloth, leave out the AM/FM radio and backrow screen and have fewer speakers than more expensive variants, among other changes.

 

With a range of 321 miles, both vehicles offer slightly less battery performance than pricier versions but outperform other models in Tesla's lineup.

 

The next cheapest Model 3 is priced at $42,490. The Model Y price compares with $44,990 for the Long Range Rear Wheel Drive variant 2025 Model Y, which was refreshed earlier this year.

 

The Model Y has become one of the world's bestselling cars, rivaling Toyota's Corolla.

 

Tesla for years has said it would release a lower-price model to spur growth in an increasingly competitive landscape. That strategy shifted last year when Chief Executive Elon Musk canceled plans for a $25,000 "Model 2" to focus instead on the company's dedicated autonomous vehicle, the Cybercab, which lacks a steering wheel and pedals.

 

Musk has emphasized his desire to transform the electric-vehicle maker into an artificial intelligence and robotics company and said that all new Tesla models will be autonomous.

 

"I think having a regular $25,000 model is pointless," he told investors on an earnings call last year. "It would be silly, like it will be completely at odds with what we believe."

 

Executives have continued to discuss offering multiple "affordable models," though not without fits and starts.

 

In April, Tesla released a pared-down version of its Cybertruck that dropped features such as vegan-leather seats and power-adjusted steering wheels, and eliminated others, including the truck-bed cover. By September, that product was no longer available for purchase.

 

Tesla also increased the price on its luxury Model X and Model S vehicles and added "lux packages" that include upgrades such as Full Self-Driving (supervised) software and unlimited charging.

 

The cheaper variants could help alleviate some of the pain expected to hit electric-vehicle makers in the fourth quarter following the end of a $7,500 federal tax credit in the U.S. General Motors, Ford and Hyundai have all said they plan to continue offering incentives for battery-powered car sales to alleviate some of the sticker shock.

 

Electric-vehicle makers reported record sales last week after customers rushed to make the most of the credit, which expired on Sept. 30.

 

Tesla increased its global sales 7.4% in the third quarter from a year earlier, reversing significant sales declines that brought it down more than 13% in the first half of the year.

 

On a July earnings call, Tesla executives avoided naming coming low-price models until Musk interjected: "It's just a Model Y. Let the cat out of the bag there."

 

He said the point of a cheaper Model Y is to reach customers who can't otherwise afford to buy a Tesla.

 

"The desire to buy the car is very high," he said. "People just don't have enough money in the bank account to buy it. So the more affordable we can make the car, the better."” [B]

 

A. Power-adjustable steering wheels allow drivers to move the steering column up/down (tilt) and in/out (telescope) using electronic controls, rather than a manual lever. These power adjustments enhance driver comfort by enabling personalized positioning and can be linked to memory settings, automatically moving the wheel for easy entry/exit when the vehicle is turned off. A control switch on the left side of the steering column is used to make these adjustments. 

How to Use a Power-Adjustable Steering Wheel

 

    Locate the Control:

    The adjustment switch is typically found on the lower-left side of the steering column.

 

Make Adjustments:

 

    Tilt: Press the top or bottom of the switch to move the steering wheel up or down.

 

Telescope: Press the front or rear of the switch to move the steering wheel closer to or farther from the driver.

 

Check Position:

Adjust the steering wheel so you can see the instrument cluster and have your elbows slightly bent when reaching the wheel.

Save Settings (if equipped):

Some systems allow you to save your preferred position to a memory setting, linked to the driver's seat position.

Entry/Exit Feature (if equipped):

In vehicles with this feature, the steering wheel automatically moves to a stowed position when the key is removed, making it easier to get in and out of the car.

 

Key Benefits

 

    Enhanced Comfort:

    Drivers can find a perfectly customized and comfortable driving position.

 

Improved Visibility:

The steering wheel can be adjusted to ensure a clear view of the instrument panel.

Easier Entry/Exit:

The auto tilt-away feature helps prevent knees from hitting the steering wheel during entry and exit.

Personalized Settings:

With memory settings, the steering wheel can automatically adjust to the driver's ideal position.

 

B. Tesla Unveils Cheaper EV Models. Peterson, Becky.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 08 Oct 2025: B1. 

„Tesla“ pristato pigesnius elektromobilių modelius

  

„Tesla“ jau seniai žadėjo pigesnį modelį. Antradienį bendrovė pristatė supaprastintas savo perkamiausių visureigių ir sedanų versijas, tačiau naujos mažesnės kainos ne visai padengia neseniai pasibaigusios 7 500 USD vertės elektromobilių mokesčių lengvatos.

 

„Tesla“ pristatė „standartinius“ „Model Y“ ir „Model 3“, kuriems trūksta tokių funkcijų kaip apgaubiantis aplinkos apšvietimas ir elektra reguliuojami vairai [A], tikėdamasi pritraukti biudžetą taupančius pirkėjus.

 

Standartinis „Model 3“ kainuoja 36 990 USD, o standartinis „Model Y“ – 39 990 USD, todėl jie yra vieni pigiausių elektromobilių, parduodamų JAV, ir „Tesla“ geriau pozicionuoja save konkuruoti su pigiais elektromobiliais iš Kinijos pasauliniu mastu.

 

Pigesnis „Model Y“ pakeičia priekinę šviesos juostą dviem įprastais priekiniais žibintais ir turi kitokią stogo konstrukciją. Abu automobiliai dalį veganiškos odos sėdynių pakeitė medžiaginėmis, neturi AM/FM radijo ir galinio ekrano, turi mažiau garsiakalbių nei brangesni variantai, be kitų pakeitimų.

 

Su 321 mylių, abu automobiliai pasižymi šiek tiek prastesniu akumuliatoriaus našumu, nei brangesnės versijos, tačiau lenkia kitus „Tesla“ modelius.

 

Kitas pigiausias „Model 3“ kainuoja 42 490 USD. „Model Y“ kaina lyginama su 44 990 USD už 2025 m. „Model Y“ su ilgo nuotolio galinių ratų pavara, kuris buvo atnaujintas anksčiau šiais metais.

 

„Model Y“ tapo vienu perkamiausių automobilių pasaulyje, konkuruojančiu su „Toyota Corolla“.

 

„Tesla“ jau daugelį metų teigia, kad išleis pigesnį modelį, kad paskatintų augimą vis konkurencingesnėje aplinkoje. Ši strategija pasikeitė praėjusiais metais, kai generalinis direktorius Elonas Muskas atšaukė planus dėl 25 000 USD kainuojančio „Model 2“, kad vietoj to sutelktų dėmesį į bendrovės specializuotą autonominį automobilį „Cybercab“, kuriam trūksta vairo ir pedalų.

 

Muskas pabrėžė savo norą paversti elektromobilių gamintoją dirbtinio intelekto ir robotikos įmone ir teigė, kad visi nauji „Tesla“ modeliai bus autonominiai.

 

„Manau, kad turėti įprastą 25 000 USD kainuojantį modelį yra beprasmiška“, – praėjusį kartą investuotojams sakė jis per pelno konferenciją. metus. „Tai būtų kvaila, tarsi tai visiškai prieštarautų tam, kuo mes tikime.“

 

Vadovų teigimu, buvo toliau diskutuojama apie kelių „įperkamų modelių“ siūlymą, nors ir ne be pertraukų.

 

Balandžio mėnesį „Tesla“ išleido supaprastintą „Cybertruck“ versiją, kurioje nebeliko tokių funkcijų kaip veganiškos odos sėdynės ir elektra reguliuojami vairai, taip pat pašalintos kitos funkcijos, įskaitant sunkvežimio kėbulo uždangalą. Iki rugsėjo mėnesio šio produkto nebebuvo galima įsigyti.

 

„Tesla“ taip pat padidino prabangių „Model X“ ir „Model S“ automobilių kainą ir pridėjo „prabangių paketų“, kurie apima tokius atnaujinimus kaip visiškai savarankiško vairavimo (prižiūrima) programinė įranga ir neribotas įkrovimas.

 

Pigesni variantai galėtų padėti sumažinti dalį skausmo, kurio, kaip tikimasi, ketvirtąjį ketvirtį patirs elektromobilių gamintojai, pasibaigus 7 500 USD federalinei mokesčių lengvatai JAV. „General Motors“, „Ford“ ir „Hyundai“ pareiškė, kad planuoja toliau siūlyti paskatas akumuliatoriniais automobiliais varomiems automobiliams, kad sušvelnintų dalį šoką dėl kainų kritimo.

 

Elektromobilių gamintojai praėjusią savaitę pranešė apie rekordinius pardavimus, kai klientai suskubo pasinaudoti lengvata, kuri baigėsi 2014 m. Rugsėjo 30 d.

 

Trečiąjį ketvirtį „Tesla“ pasauliniai pardavimai, palyginti su praėjusiais metais, padidėjo 7,4 %, taip pakeisdama reikšmingą pardavimų nuosmukį, dėl kurio pirmąjį pusmetį pardavimai sumažėjo daugiau nei 13 %.

 

Liepos mėnesį vykusiame pajamų skelbimo pokalbyje „Tesla“ vadovai vengė įvardyti būsimus pigius modelius, kol Muskas neįsikišo: „Tai tik „Model Y“. Išleiskite katę iš maišo.“

 

Jis teigė, kad pigesnio „Model Y“ tikslas – pasiekti klientus, kurie kitaip negali sau leisti nusipirkti „Tesla“.

 

„Noras pirkti šį automobilį yra labai didelis“, – sakė jis. „Žmonės tiesiog neturi pakankamai pinigų banko sąskaitoje, kad jį įsigytų. Taigi, kuo prieinamesnį automobilį galime pagaminti, tuo geriau.“ [B]

 

A. Elektra reguliuojami vairai leidžia vairuotojams judinti vairo kolonėlę aukštyn / žemyn (pakreipti) ir į vidų / išstumti (teleskopas) naudojant elektroninius valdiklius, o ne rankinę svirtį. Šie galios reguliavimai padidina vairuotojo komfortą, nes leidžia individualiai nustatyti padėtį, ir gali būti susieti su atminties nustatymais, automatiškai perkeliant vairą, kad būtų lengva įlipti / išlipti, kai transporto priemonė išjungta. Šiems reguliavimui naudojamas valdymo jungiklis, esantis kairėje vairo kolonėlės pusėje.

 

Kaip naudoti elektra reguliuojamą vairą

 

Valdiklio suradimas:

Reguliavimo jungiklis paprastai yra apatinėje kairėje vairo kolonėlės pusėje.

 

Reguliavimas:

 

Pakreipimas: paspauskite jungiklio viršų arba apačią, kad vairas būtų judinamas aukštyn arba žemyn.

 

Teleskopas: paspauskite jungiklio priekį arba galą, kad vairas būtų judinamas arčiau vairuotojo arba toliau nuo jo.

 

Padėties patikrinimas:

Sureguliuokite vairą taip, kad matytumėte prietaisų skydelį ir, siekdami vairo, alkūnės būtų šiek tiek sulenktos.

 

Nustatymų išsaugojimas (jei yra):

Kai kurios sistemos leidžia išsaugoti pageidaujamą padėtį atminties nustatymuose, susietuose su vairuotojo sėdynės padėtimi.

 

Įlipimo / išlipimo funkcija (jei yra):

Transporto priemonėse vairas automatiškai grįžta į laikymo padėtį, kai ištraukiamas raktelis, todėl lengviau įlipti ir išlipti iš automobilio.

 

Pagrindiniai privalumai

 

Didesnis komfortas:

Vairuotojai gali rasti puikiai pritaikytą ir patogią vairavimo padėtį.

 

Pagerintas matomumas:

Vairą galima reguliuoti, kad būtų užtikrintas aiškus prietaisų skydelio matymas.

 

Lengvesnis įlipimas / išlipimas:

Automatinio pakreipimo funkcija padeda išvengti kelių smūgio į vairą įlipant ir išlipant.

Asmeniniai nustatymai:

Naudojant atminties nustatymus, vairas gali automatiškai prisitaikyti prie idealios vairuotojo padėties.

 

B. Tesla Unveils Cheaper EV Models. Peterson, Becky.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 08 Oct 2025: B1. 

Kvepia giljotina, nepadės nei vyras, vadinamas jo žmona at balto arklio: izoliuoto Prancūzijos lyderio galimybės išsenka --- Macronas atsisako pasitraukti, nepaisant mažėjančio palaikymo dėl biudžeto krizės

 

„PARYŽIUS -- Prancūzijos demokratija nebuvo sukurta krizei, apėmusiai Emmanuelio Macrono prezidentavimą.

 

Siekdamas ištraukti Prancūziją iš fiskalinės spiralės, Macron išnaudoja daugybę priemonių, kurias jam, kaip Prancūzijos modernios Penktosios Respublikos garantui, suteikia konstitucija. Praėjusiais metais jis paleido triukšmingą Nacionalinę Asamblėją, tačiau rinkėjai išrinko dar labiau susiskaldžiusius žemuosius Parlamento rūmus. Nuo tada jis skyrė vieną ministrą pirmininką po kito, tačiau matė, kaip jie buvo atmesti balsavimuose dėl pasitikėjimo arba atsistatydinti.

 

Macronui baigiantis galimybėms, prezidentas vis labiau izoliuojasi. Jo sąjungininkai pradėjo abejoti, ar jis stumia Prancūzijos demokratijos architektūrą į lūžio tašką.

 

„Ši krizė yra valstybės žlugimas.“ „Tuo aš ir tikiu“, – sakė Edouard Philippe, centro dešinės politikas, buvęs pirmuoju Macrono ministru pirmininku.

 

Jaučiama, kad Prancūzija yra įstrigusi pražūties kilpoje, dar labiau sustiprėjo pirmadienį, kai Sebastien Lecornu – ketvirtasis Macrono ministras pirmininkas per kiek daugiau nei metus – atsistatydino praėjus mėnesiui po to, kai jam buvo sunku suformuoti kabinetą ir suvienyti Nacionalinės Asamblėjos įstatymų leidėjus dėl biudžeto, kuris sumažintų didžiulį Prancūzijos deficitą, atimdamas pinigus iš paprastų žmonių. Šis didžiulis deficitas buvo sukurtas mažinant turtingųjų mokesčius, siekiant palankumo įmonėms.

 

Antradienį Philippe prisijungė prie politinių lyderių choro, teigiančio, kad Macronas turi pasitraukti iš kovos ir palikti postą iki jo kadencijos pabaigos 2027 m. Philippe, kuris planuoja kandidatuoti į prezidentus, teigė, kad Macronas turėtų paskirti naują ministrą pirmininką, kuris skubiai priimtų biudžetą ir netrukus po to organizuotų pirmalaikius prezidento rinkimus.

 

Macronas atsisakė pasitraukti. Vietoj to jis naudoja neišsakytą grasinimą paleisti parlamentą ir vėl surengti pirmalaikius parlamento rinkimus, kad priverstų įstatymų leidėjus, kurie, kaip jis mano, iš esmės nenoriai kreipsis į rinkėjus. Jis nurodė Lecornu iki trečiadienio vakaro derėtis su politinėmis partijomis, bandant paskutinį kartą nukreipti Nacionalinę Asamblėją susitarimo link, kuris galėtų suvaldyti šalies biudžeto deficitą, kuris praėjusiais metais siekė 5,8 % bendrojo vidaus produkto.

 

„Paleidimas problemos neišspręs“, – sakė Olivier Costa, Paryžiuje įsikūrusio „Sciences Po“ universiteto ir Prancūzijos nacionalinio mokslinių tyrimų centro tyrimų profesorius. „Problema išliks ta pati: kaip valdyti šalį neturint daugumos“, – pridūrė jis.

 

Vakaruose vyraujančios antisisteminės nuotaikos paskatino populistinių partijų, įskaitant Marine Le Pen kraštutinių dešiniųjų Nacionalinį susibūrimą ir Jean-Luc Mélenchon kraštutinių kairiųjų partiją, iškilimą. Taigi, kai Macron 2024 m. vasarą paleido Nacionalinę Asamblėją, rinkėjai į tai atsakė išrinkdami labiausiai susiskaldžiusį Parlamentą Penktosios Respublikos istorijoje.

 

Le Pen partija surinko daugiau vietų nei bet kuri kita, bet nepakankamai daugumai, o Macron ir jo sąjungininkai sumažėjo iki vos 161 balso. 577 vietų žemesnieji rūmai. Likusios vietos atiteko konservatoriams ir daugybei kairiųjų partijų, įskaitant Mélenchono pajėgas.

 

„Nėra demokratinės konstitucinės sistemos, kuri leistų išlaikyti politinį stabilumą, kai jus palaiko tik trečdalis Nacionalinės Asamblėjos“, – sakė Benjaminas Morelis, viešosios teisės profesorius Paryžiaus-Pantheono-Asaso universitete.

 

Vienintelis dalykas, kuris dabar vienija kairiuosius ir dešiniuosius Nacionalinėje Asamblėjoje, yra jų noras nepaklusti Macrono valdžiai. Asamblėja per mažiau nei metus nušalino du Macrono ministrus pirmininkus, kai kiekvienas iš jų siekė sumažinti milijardus viešųjų išlaidų, siekdamas sumažinti biudžeto deficitą, kuris smarkiai išaugo vadovaujant Macronui. Dėl neramumų Prancūzijos skolinimosi išlaidos išaugo iki tokio lygio, kuris prilygsta euro zonos skolų apkrautų periferijų lygiui.

 

Antradienį Prancūzijos 10 metų obligacijų pajamingumas siekė 3,6 %, viršydamas Graikijos ir beveik prilygdamas Italijos.

 

Net ir paties Macrono partijos įstatymų leidėjai piktinasi jo bandymais mikrovaldyti „asamblėją.“ [1]

 

1. World News: Options Dry Up for Isolated French Leader --- Macron refuses to step aside despite dwindling support amid budget crisis. Bisserbe, Noemie; Meichtry, Stacy.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 08 Oct 2025: A16. 

Smells like a guillotine, won't help even a man called his wife on a white horse: Isolated French leader's options are running out --- Macron refuses to step down despite declining support over budget crisis

 

“PARIS -- French democracy wasn't built for the crisis enveloping the presidency of Emmanuel Macron.

 

In an effort to pull France out of its fiscal spiral, Macron is exhausting a battery of tools available to him under the constitution as guarantor of France's modern Fifth Republic. He dissolved a rowdy National Assembly last year only to see voters elect an even more divided lower house of Parliament. Since then, he has appointed one prime minister after another, only to see them felled in confidence votes or resign.

 

As Macron runs out of options, the president is becoming increasingly isolated. His allies have begun to question whether he is pushing the architecture of French democracy to a breaking point.

 

"This crisis is the collapse of the state. That's what I believe," said Edouard Philippe, a center-right politician who served as Macron's first prime minister.

 

The sense that France is caught in a doom loop was underscored on Monday when Sebastien Lecornu -- Macron's fourth prime minister in just over a year -- resigned a month into the job after struggling to form a cabinet and unite lawmakers in the National Assembly around a budget that would narrow France's yawning deficit by taking money from ordinary people. This yawning deficit was created by lowering taxes of the rich in name of friendliness to the companies.

 

On Tuesday, Philippe added his voice to a chorus of political leaders who say Macron needs to step back from the fray and leave office before his term ends in 2027. Philippe, who plans to run for president, said Macron should appoint a new prime minister to urgently pass a budget and shortly thereafter organize early presidential elections.

 

Macron has refused to step aside. Instead, he is wielding the unspoken threat of dissolving Parliament and calling snap parliamentary elections -- yet again -- to coerce lawmakers he believes are largely reluctant to face voters. He instructed Lecornu to hold talks with political parties until Wednesday evening in a last-ditch attempt to steer the National Assembly toward a deal that can rein in the country's budget deficit, which last year hit 5.8% of gross domestic product.

 

"A dissolution will not solve the problem," said Olivier Costa, a research professor at the Paris-based Sciences Po university and France's National Center for Scientific Research. "The problem will remain the same: how to govern the country without a majority," he added.

 

Antiestablishment sentiment across the West has fueled the rise of populist parties, including Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally and the far-left party of Jean-Luc Melenchon. So when Macron dissolved the National Assembly in the summer of 2024, voters responded by electing the most fractious Parliament in the Fifth Republic's history.

 

Le Pen's party garnered more seats than any other, but not enough for a majority, while Macron and his allies shrank to a mere 161 votes in the 577-seat lower house. The remaining seats went to establishment conservatives and an array of leftist parties that include Melenchon's forces.

 

"There is no democratic constitutional system that allows you to maintain political stability with only a third of the National Assembly behind you," said Benjamin Morel, a professor of public law at Paris-Pantheon-Assas University.

 

The only thing that now unites left and right in the National Assembly is their willingness to buck Macron's authority. The assembly has ousted two of Macron's prime ministers in less than a year after each sought to trim billions in public spending in a bid to shrink a budget deficit that has ballooned under Macron's leadership. The turmoil has driven up France's borrowing costs to levels rivaling the eurozone's debt-laden periphery.

 

The yield on France's 10-year bonds stood at 3.6% on Tuesday, above Greece's, and neck-and-neck with Italy's.

 

Even lawmakers within Macron's own party are chafing over his attempts to micromanage the assembly.” [1]

 

1. World News: Options Dry Up for Isolated French Leader --- Macron refuses to step aside despite dwindling support amid budget crisis. Bisserbe, Noemie; Meichtry, Stacy.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 08 Oct 2025: A16. 

How Human Oversight of Artificial Intelligence Succeeds

"In the circus of AI, the question remains who holds the reins: humans or machines?

 

While the AI ​​Regulation requires humans to control the risks of AI, experts argue whether humans are even capable of doing so. What policymakers and scientists can do now?

 

Effective human oversight of AI systems is beneficial in three ways: First, it is an essential building block for the compliance of AI systems with the AI ​​Regulation and ethical principles. Second, human oversight improves the quality of AI systems on the market in Europe. Third, human oversight creates value because its effectiveness requires investments in new technologies, services, and human skills. It is now up to science and politics to jointly leverage this innovation potential.

 

But first things first: Behind a fatal accident lies a central challenge for the safe and trustworthy use of AI in our society: How can human oversight of AI succeed?

 

In the southwestern United States, an accident occurred in 2018. In 2018, a tragedy in technological history occurred: An avoidable accident led to the first fatality of a self-driving car. The Uber platform was testing a Volvo powered by artificial intelligence (AI) in traffic in a suburb of Phoenix, Arizona, when a 49-year-old woman was pushing her bicycle across the street and was struck by the car.

 

According to the U.S. Highway Patrol and a court in Arizona, neither Uber nor the AI ​​was responsible for her death, but a human. The safety driver in the self-driving car should have intervened and, given the moderate speed at which the car was traveling, probably could have.

 

But instead of looking at the road, she streamed an episode of the television show "The Voice" on her smartphone. Her boredom while monitoring the AI ​​cost a human life.

 

This challenge becomes all the more urgent as AI systems are increasingly deployed in sensitive areas such as medicine, traffic, or border control. In these areas, policymakers rely on human oversight to mitigate the risks associated with the technology. For example, Article 14 of the European Union Regulation (EU) No. 149/2016 requires the targeted use of humans when using high-risk AI systems to prevent or at least minimize "risks to health, safety, and fundamental rights." What cannot be completely eliminated technically should be mitigated by human oversight.

 

But some scientists doubt that humans are even capable of doing this. Even if they aren't looking at their phones, people in most cases have too little time and information to avert risks during the ongoing operation of AI. Instead of effectively monitoring AI, they risk becoming scapegoats for the risk-taking of technology developers.

 

The view that humans can hardly monitor AI systems effectively is, however, oversimplifying in many application areas. Under the right conditions, humans are perfectly capable of monitoring AI and intervening in ongoing processes. The real core of the challenge therefore lies in understanding and ensuring these demanding conditions.

The Dagstuhl Definition of Human Oversight

 

A seminar held at the beginning of July at Schloss Dagstuhl, a Leibniz Association facility in Saarland, offered an insight into the current state of research. International experts from computer science, psychology, law, ethics, cognitive science, and technology design addressed the question of how effective human oversight of AI systems can be designed.

 

Even agreeing on a sufficiently broad definition of "human oversight" that is clearly differentiated from other dimensions of human involvement in AI processes—such as system maintenance or regulatory oversight—was a challenge. The narrow definition of the term in the AI ​​Regulation contrasts with the interdisciplinary nature of the research field. However, it is precisely this interdisciplinarity that has proven key to identifying the specific function of human oversight: Human oversight exists when a person (or several people) is systematically prepared to consciously monitor the operation of AI systems and, if necessary, intervene to substantially mitigate the risks posed by AI.

 

Human oversight is therefore not a mere "checkbox" task or bureaucratic exercise, but rather responsible work. At the same time, the definition also implies that no one can spontaneously or accidentally fall into the role of a supervisor of an AI system—quite possibly. As required by Article 26 of the AI ​​Regulation, a supervisor must be explicitly appointed and systematically prepared.

 

 In particular, it is not sufficient to assign people a merely nominal role as "button pushers" in an AI-driven decision-making process without authority, insight, time, or training. This could potentially make them part of a technology-supported error. To enable people to avert risks, correct undesirable developments, or prevent harm, their role must be designed specifically and effectively.

 

How to Effectively Design Human Oversight of AI

 

While it can increase efficiency if AI systems support physicians in diagnostics by making suggestions, if these suggestions are adopted without reflection, there is a risk of uncritical acceptance of any AI judgments. Errors or biases can thus be incorporated into practice unnoticed. For example, distorted training data can lead to certain symptoms or patient groups being systematically overlooked or misjudged, resulting in structural disadvantages. There is also a risk that inconspicuous findings will rarely be independently reviewed, and that physicians' attention to individual patients will decrease.

 

Such dynamics can also be explained psychologically: The phenomenon of automation bias leads people to often place more trust in AI suggestions than is appropriate. Confirmation bias also exists, whereby findings are interpreted as confirming AI suggestions rather than critically questioning them. The causes are manifold, and pure convenience is just one.

 

Design measures that force users to actively reflect on their decisions before confirming them can reduce such biases. For example, AI systems could be designed so that a physician not only receives a diagnosis suggested by the AI, but is also required to document a brief written explanation for their approval or rejection of the suggestion. While such a design slows down work with AI, it promotes critical thinking. This naturally raises the further question of whether human supervision should even be provided by the same people who work directly with the AI.

 

In medical practice, the role of the medical professional may coincide with that of the AI ​​supervisor. In other high-risk contexts, participation and supervision in AI decision-making are more clearly separated.

 

Self-driving cars are now operating without human passengers. In Austin and San Francisco, fully autonomous robotaxis transport their passengers through the city. The supervisors are located in a central control center that monitors multiple vehicles simultaneously via interfaces.

 

Whether humans are directly embedded in the AI-supported decision-making process, such as physicians, or remotely oversee a fleet of robotaxis, three areas are central to effective supervision: technical factors such as system design, explainability methods, and user interfaces; human factors such as the supervisor's expertise, motivation, and psychological characteristics; and environmental factors such as workplace design and organizational framework.

 

When these factors are considered holistically, human supervision can be effective. This finding underscores the importance of interdisciplinary research into the success factors of effective human oversight, both for the implementation of the AI ​​Regulation and for the responsible use of AI in our society.

Remaining challenges must be addressed jointly with policymakers.

 

All this shows that science has already gathered insights into how human oversight can be successful. Together with policymakers, we should now discuss problem areas related to the implementation of the AI ​​Regulation in order to develop sensible solutions.

 

First, there is the problem of accountability. How can we prevent the oversight officer from becoming a mere symbolic figure, creating false confidence in the safety of AI and ultimately only securing economic interests—thus degenerating into a placebo? Experimental testing of oversight systems can make a significant contribution here. Whether human oversight is effective should be empirically tested before the AI ​​system is put into operation. Standardized templates, guidelines, or checklists that specify what such testing procedures should look like, or what findings must be available before the actual deployment of human-supervised AI, can support providers and operators in testing.

 

This brings us to the next problem: measuring success. What standards apply to the effectiveness of human supervision? What's needed are quantitative and qualitative benchmarks that can be translated into technical standards. Leading AI researchers and practitioners have long been calling for the establishment of a German AI Safety Institute (DAISI). DAISI could develop scientifically sound safety guidelines and promote dialogue between science, politics, and society. This doesn't require the creation of a new bureaucratic monster; rather, an agile agency should be created.

 

Finally, the problem of technical and organizational support must be addressed. How can supervisors be supported in recognizing the right time to intervene, and how can their interventions prevent them from creating more risks than they mitigate? While a completely error-proof solution seems unrealistic, policymakers can nevertheless rely on the dynamics of scientific knowledge. AI providers and users should therefore be demonstrably oriented toward the current state of research on human-AI interaction, which is constantly evolving with the progressive use of AI systems in our society.

 

The list of unanswered questions could be extended. One thing is clear: human oversight as a safety net in the risk management of the AI ​​Regulation means that AI systems will enter the European market with considerable residual risks. Managing these risks depends on the technical capabilities, the individual skills and motivation of the supervisors, and the specific working conditions.

 

Human oversight can be an economic factor

 

The development of solutions to manage technological risks is, not least, an economic factor. In competition with the AI ​​superpowers, the USA and China, the EU's AI Regulation is often seen as a brake on innovation. Regulation or innovation is a false dilemma, since the third option, promoting responsible innovation, is itself a form of economic policy. Significant investments from both public and private sources are required to successfully implement regulatory provisions such as the requirement for human oversight of AI. Developing benchmarks, testing oversight systems, and equipping people with AI skills – all of this requires capital and know-how, which can be accumulated in Europe through the implementation of the AI ​​Regulation.

 

While implementing human oversight may reduce a small portion of AI's efficiency potential, the effective integration of human and machine skills creates real value through improved outputs and reduced risks. This creates significant opportunities for new business models for technical products and services.

 

Furthermore, it is expected that AI will only become accepted in areas such as medicine once effective human oversight is ensured.

 

Effective human oversight of AI systems is beneficial in three ways: First, it is an essential building block for the compliance of AI systems with the AI ​​Regulation and ethical principles. Second, human oversight improves the quality of AI systems on the market in Europe. Third, human oversight creates value because its effectiveness requires investment in new technologies, services, and human skills. It is now up to science and politics to jointly leverage this innovation potential.

Johann Laux

Johann Laux works as a Departmental Research Lecturer in AI, Government & Policy at the Oxford Internet Institute at the University of Oxford and is a Fellow at the GovTech Campus Germany.

Markus Langer

Markus Langer is a Professor of Work and Organizational Psychology at the University of Freiburg and heads the Psy:Tech Lab for research into good AI-supported work.

Dr. Kevin Baum

Dr. Kevin Baum works at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) as a research group leader for Responsible AI & Machine Ethics and as a Senior Researcher at the Center for European Research in Trusted AI (CERTAIN)."