Expecting a semi-autonomous driving system to be perfect is a recipe for disaster
- A series of tests shows a Tesla Model Y hitting a child-sized mannequin while using FSD.
- The scenario replicates a child running toward a school bus and getting struck while crossing.
- While the footage grabs attention, FSD (Supervised) is meant for use by a “fully attentive driver.”
Two Tesla foes have joined forces to attack the company and its semi-autonomous driving technology. In this case, The Dawn Project teamed up with the Tesla Takedown movement to demonstrate “critical safety defects” in Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software.
As you can see in the clips, a Tesla Model Y with the latest version of Full-Self Driving was subjected to a test where a school bus is stopped with its flashing lights and stop signs activated. A child-sized mannequin is then pulled across the street to replicate a kid attempting to catch the school bus.
More: Deadly Tesla Crash Raises Questions About Vision-Based Self-Driving Systems
The test was conducted eight times and The Dawn Project said, “Full Self-Driving ran down the child mannequin while illegally blowing past the school bus on every single” attempt. They added, “Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software did not disengage or even alert the driver to the fact there had been a collision on any of the test runs.”
Dawn Project founder Dan O’Dowd said, “Self-driving software that illegally blows past stopped school buses and runs down children crossing the road must be banned immediately. Tesla’s failure to address this critical safety defect demonstrates Elon Musk’s utter negligence and contempt for public safety.”
However, it’s important to note Full-Self Driving doesn’t mean fully autonomous. The name says it all: Full Self-Driving (Supervised). Tesla specifically states that the system is designed for “use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment.”
That clearly wasn’t the case in these tests as an attentive driver would have stopped for the school bus, even if FSD didn’t. This effectively makes it operator error, although Tesla doesn’t exactly come out smelling like roses.
Tesla Takedown Takes Aim At Electrify Expo
In other news, the Tesla Takedown movement is now trying to pressure Electrify Expo to remove Tesla as an exhibitor from their events. That seems highly unlikely, but the group sent organizers an e-mail saying “Tesla is not just a car company – it’s the financial engine of Elon Musk, who is using his wealth to fund far-right politics, normalize extremism, and push unregulated tech into our communities.”
The e-mail went on to say, “Every Tesla sale – and every brand showcase like Electrify Expo or car commercial on the White House lawn – helps sustain his divisive power.” While the group praised Electrify Expo’s efforts to “make electric mobility more accessible and exciting,” they stated “disassociating from Tesla would send a clear message: extremism has consequences.”