Tesla Full Self-Driving Endangers The Public, According to The Dawn Project

New Superbowl Ad From The Dawn Project Claims Tesla Full Self-Driving Software Has Critical Safety Defects Which Endanger The Public

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (February 11, 2023) – The Dawn Project has released a new ad which claims that Tesla’s “full self-driving” software is dangerous and should be recalled by the NHTSA. The ad was released on Twitter and is set to appear during the Super Bowl. A narrator begins the ad by saying that Tesla full self-driving will run down a child as the video shows a Tesla Model 3 running over a child mannequin being pulled on a sled in a school crosswalk. The next set of shots show another Model 3 (1) hit a baby in a stroller, (2) drive past a stopped school bus with a stop sign (3) ignore do not enter signs and (4) drive on the wrong side of the road. The narrator then calls Tesla’s marketing deceptive before claiming that the self-driving system is based off of “woefully inept engineering.” At the end of the ad, the narrator calls on the NHTSA to ban the full self-driving system. Dan O’Dowd is the founder of The Dawn Project and released a number of tweets following the release of the ad. In one tweet, he claimed that critics of the ad were Tesla shareholders who are trying to cover up grotesque safety defects with the full-self-driving system in order to line their own pockets.

Watch The Dawn Project’s #SuperBowl ad demonstrate critical safety defects in @Tesla Full Self-Driving. 6 months ago we reported FSD would run down a child. Tesla hasn’t even fixed that! To focus their attention, @NHTSAgov must turn off FSD until Tesla fixes all safety defects. pic.twitter.com/AxJbN5oOSr — Dan O’Dowd (@RealDanODowd) February 11, 2023

Liability For Tesla Full-Self Driving Accidents

The ad by The Dawn Project comes after a number of lawsuits against Tesla over its driver assist software. In particular, the lawsuits focus on Tesla’s Autopilot system. Consider, for example, one

lawsuit in Texas after a Tesla hit a stopped emergency vehicle thereby injuring several officers. According to trial lawyers in that case, “Tesla’s blatant refusal to adopt additional safeguards or to fix the issues with its Autopilot system demonstrate a lack of supervision and oversight of  Tesla’s Autopilot system. Tesla has intentionally decided not to remedy these issues and must be held liable and accountable, especially when it has detailed knowledge of the risks and dangers associated with its Autopilot system.” Despite what the name might suggest, the Autopilot system is not capable of operating the car without human intervention. However, the system is able to:fspam

• Keep the Tesla within one lane of traffic.
• Adjust the speed of the Tesla for traffic.
• Brake for the Tesla when necessary.

Despite the fact that Autopilot is supposed to brake a Tesla automatically and keep it in one lane, this hasn’t always been the case. According to the NHTSA, a number of Tesla vehicles in Autopilot have rear-ended stopped vehicles including emergency vehicles. Tesla’s full self-driving system is supposed to be able to read stops signs, recognize pedestrians and operate the vast majority of the time without human intervention. But there have already been a number of instances where the system has not operated as intended.

Depending on the facts of any case, Tesla could face civil liability for a crash involving one of their vehicles if that vehicle was in Autopilot or full self-driving mode. Companies have a legal obligation to create products that are reasonably safe. When a car company fails to warn consumers about the non-obvious dangers associated with the use of the vehicles, this could form the basis of a product liability claim. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any car accident involving a Tesla in Autopilot or full self-driving.

• Photos of the accident site should be taken.
• Footage from the Tesla’s cameras should be examined.
• The software code used in the Tesla should be reviewed.
• Medical records should be examined.

Victims of car accidents involving Tesla vehicles often suffer very serious and costly injuries. Any person that is injured in a Tesla accident may have legal recourse through a bodily injury claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering. A personal injury attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are. It doesn’t cost anything up-front to hire a personal injury attorney and they only get paid if they are able to successfully resolve your claim.

Investigating A Tesla Car Accident 

We at Samer Habbas & Associates, PC extend our best wishes to all of the people who have been injured in a car accident with a Tesla. The technology behind Tesla’s full self-driving system has the potential to dramatically reduce vehicle collisions. But this technology should not be rolled out prematurely in a way that endangers the public.

Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a car accident with a Tesla? There are a number of laws designed to protect your rights. Our team of personal injury attorneys are here for you. We care deeply that accident victims get the medical and financial support that they need in order to recover. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of help after a collision we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 949-727-9300.