Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” Fails School Bus Safety Test: Runs Over Dummy Child

Tesla’s highly anticipated “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) software is under renewed scrutiny after a recent safety test showed alarming results. The Dawn Project, a safety advocacy group, demonstrated that a Tesla Model Y equipped with FSD 13.2.9 failed to stop for a school bus with its stop sign deployed and flashing lights. Even more concerning, the vehicle proceeded to strike a child-sized dummy placed in its path.

In the video released by The Dawn Project, the Tesla system reportedly detected the dummy, classifying it as a pedestrian, but made no attempt to stop or even slow down. This raises serious questions about the reliability and safety of Tesla’s autonomous driving technology, especially as the company prepares to deploy robotaxis in Austin, Texas.

The Dawn Project previously raised concerns about FSD’s inability to recognize and respond to school buses, even running a Super Bowl commercial in 2023 highlighting the issue. Tragically, a similar incident occurred in North Carolina, where a Tesla Model Y struck a high school student as he exited a school bus. The student sustained life-threatening injuries, and investigators suspect that Autopilot or FSD was engaged at the time of the crash.

Critics argue that even if FSD were limited to highway driving, its failure to reliably stop for emergency vehicles and other stopped vehicles would still be a major safety flaw. However, the imminent deployment of Model Ys as robotaxis on city streets makes the issue even more pressing.

While The Dawn Project is known for its critical stance on Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, the video evidence of the failed safety test is difficult to ignore. The incident raises fundamental questions about the safety and ethical implications of deploying self-driving technology before it is thoroughly tested and proven to be reliable in real-world scenarios.

The incident serves as a stark reminder that “move fast and break things” approach, common in Silicon Valley, may not be appropriate when dealing with safety-critical systems that could endanger human lives, especially children.