Tesla FSD attacked in Super Bowl advert

The Dawn Project group which has often criticised Tesla’s self-driving technology has run a Super Bowl attack advertisement allegedly showing a Tesla in full self-driving (FSD) mode hitting two mannequins and a pushchair (stroller).

Tesla chief executive Elon Musk has reportedly said the advert would raise awareness a Tesla could drive itself while supervised, says Business Insider.

It says the 30-second advert was created by The Dawn Project, an organisation that campaigns to ban what it calls “unsafe software”, founded and funded by California tech entrepreneur and Tesla critic Dan O’Dowd, who is also chief executive of Green Hills Software, a company that develops self-driving software.

Tesla didn’t immediately respond to Business Insider‘s request for comment, made outside normal US operating hours, it adds.

Elon Musk, who was pictured sitting next to Rupert Murdoch at the Super Bowl, said in a tweet that The Dawn Project’s ad would “greatly increase public awareness that a Tesla can drive itself (supervised for now)”, Business Insider reports.

“In response to a Tesla fan account that accused The Dawn Project’s testing of being ‘fake’, Musk replied with a rolling-on-the-floor-laughing-face emoji,” it adds.

“Tesla says FSD enables its vehicles to automatically change lanes, enter and exit highways, recognise stop signs, and more,” Business Insider reports.  “It’s an add-on feature to the company’s Autopilot software and costs (US)$15,000 in total, or (US)$199 for a monthly subscription.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched a program to test fully autonomous vehicles in 2020, says Business Insider.

“Tesla has been able to avoid reporting collision data to the Department of Motor Vehicles as it maintains that its cars aren’t currently classified as fully autonomous, because they still require human intervention,” it explains.