Electric vehicle maker Tesla and its defense team want the advocacy group to remove the videos of Tesla cars colliding into child-sized mannequins. The videos may give a different interpretation. The company alleges the footage is defamatory and misrepresents the company's advanced driver-assistance software.
Why Does Tesla want To Take Down The Videos?
According to The Washington Post, the Dawn Project video shows electric vehicles running over mannequins at over 20 miles per hour using full self-driving technology.
The video calls for a ban on the beta version of Tesla's full self-driving software, which allows vehicles in the city and residential streets to keep lanes, change lanes and steer automatically.
The controversial video prompted a surge in news articles and criticism of Tesla's software, which is currently being tested in an early version by 100,000 users on the streets of the US and Canada.
It also drew backlash from Tesla supporters who said the test might have been manipulated to make it look like the full self-driving software does not work as well as advertised, according to The Daily Mail.
Some Tesla supporters even sought to recreate demonstrations to show that Tesla's software actually works.
Also Read: Tesla to Disable Full Self-Driving Feature in 54,000 Models Because it Increases Risk of Accidents
Man Behind the Video
The man behind the Dawn Project, billionaire, and tech founder Dan O'Dowd, has become the controversial leader of the Tesla critics.
O'Dowd runs Green Hills Software, a company that produces operating systems for airplanes and vehicles, potentially making it a competitor in the automotive software market.
The billionaire ran for the US Senate and aired his videos on TV as a campaign advertisement.
O'Dowd says his motivation for going after Tesla is the belief that its technology is not secure enough and needs to be redesigned.
The beta version of Tesla's full self-driving feature is still in development. It is generally used by approved Tesla drivers who have qualified after a security check or gained access to the beta version.
A Tesla vehicle can get the full self-driving feature by updating its software for $15,000, as the automaker just announced that the price has just increased.
The automaker does not claim the software is offline, and the system requires the driver to be alert at all times while driving. The software will issue warnings if the driver is not paying attention before disabling features.
Tesla's Autopilot Feature
Tesla pointed out that its technologies, such as the Autopilot driver assistance system, can help reduce the frequency and severity of road traffic accidents and save thousands of lives every year.
Elon Musk said that Autopilot is safer than conventional driving despite being warned by regulators about the frequent accidents that Tesla drivers have gotten into.
Both the regulators and police have urged users not to involve children in the tests or try to mimic the safety demonstrations that take place under controlled and strict conditions.
However, that has not stopped one Tesla fan from running a test with a child in an attempt to prove that the full-self-driving beta is safe after the parent agreed to drive for the demo.
The vehicle in the video approached both the child-sized mannequin and the real child, slowing down and stopping both times, according to CNBC.
YouTube took down the video after it was flagged.
Related Article: Elon Musk Says Tesla Full Self-Driving Beta Price is Increasing! Find Out Why
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Written by Sophie Webster
