Tech entrepreneur Dan O'Dowd, a strong critic of Tesla, isn't slowing down his campaign against the automaker's self-driving software.
Boycott of Tesla Campaign by a Tech Critic
O'Dowd's "The Dawn Project," aiming to enhance software safety for humanity, runs two Super Bowl ads urging consumers to boycott the electric automaker's products and stock. Tesla critic O'Dowd has aired ads during TV's biggest event for two consecutive years. The current campaign is clear: "Boycott Tesla," showing footage of deadly and severe crashes involving Tesla vehicles. One ad shows Teslas hitting child-size mannequins, leading Tesla to send a cease-and-desist letter in the past.
O'Dowd felt he needed to raise awareness about what he considers "the most incompetent software I've ever seen," partly due to The Post's investigation. O'Dowd founded Green Hills Software, which creates operating systems for cars and airplanes.
A spokesperson for the Dawn Project told CNN on Sunday that purchasing either product puts money in Elon Musk's pocket and supports his risky self-driving experiments.
O'Dowd mentioned that Tesla repeatedly neglected to fix its faulty self-driving software. He argued that purchasing a new Tesla essentially funds Elon Musk to release a dangerous, incomplete product on public roads. O'Dowd stated they've attempted to pressure Tesla and Musk to remove their defective software but believes the only way to make them act responsibly is to withhold financial support.
Alleged Conflict of Interest Between Tesla and Green Hills Software
Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, did not comment when asked. Musk's supporters have accused O'Dowd of a conflict of interest because one of Green Hills Software's customers is Mobileye, a developer of driver-assistance software. However, O'Dowd insists his main concern is Tesla's technology.
Tesla says its software is meant for use by an entirely focused driver and argues that it's "morally indefensible" not to offer these systems to more people, citing data indicating fewer crashes when their software is active. O'Dowd believes that if people knew the truth and understood the consequences, they would have demanded a ban. He sees it as their responsibility to spread awareness because politicians won't act until the public does.
Three Cases of Major Crashes by Tesla
The two ads showcase three major crashes supposedly involving Autopilot. In one, a 17-year-old was badly injured when a Tesla hit him at 45 mph while he was getting off a school bus in North Carolina, which had its stop sign out and flashing lights on. The ad ends with, "Yet Tesla takes no action. Boycott Tesla to keep your children safe."
The ad mentions previous Dawn Project videos showing Tesla's supposed failure in not responding to child-size mannequins on the road, including last year's Super Bowl commercial, which aired just weeks before the North Carolina crash.
The other ad airing during this year's game depicts two crashes: one where a 50-year-old father died in 2019 as his Tesla drove under a semi-truck trailer, and another where a Tesla ran a stop sign and blinking lights on a rural Florida road, crashing into a parked vehicle, propelled a young couple into the air, killing one of them, and leaving the other severely injured. Initially shared by The Post, the footage shows Autopilot operating in places where it shouldn't be used.
O'Dowd informed CNN that The Dawn Project's Super Bowl ad last year sparked discussions about Tesla's self-driving capabilities. This year, it aims to raise consumer awareness to the extent that they act on their purchases.
The Dawn Project spent $552,000 on this year's campaign, slightly less than last year's $598,000, and will air in fewer and smaller media markets. Last year, they were shown in Washington, DC, and capital cities of densely populated states: Atlanta; Austin, Texas; Tallahassee, Florida; Albany, New York; and Sacramento, California. This year, they'll air in Washington, DC; Dover, Delaware; Traverse City, Michigan; and Santa Barbara, California.
Tesla's Scrutiny Over The Autopilot Features
Tesla and Musk have faced federal scrutiny for their Autopilot features. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating crashes involving Tesla vehicles utilizing these driver-assist features, including incidents where Teslas collided with emergency vehicles at accident scenes.
In December, Tesla recalled nearly all its 2 million cars after a two-year investigation, totaling about 1,000 crashes involving the Autopilot feature. The agency found that Autopilot can make drivers feel too confident and can be misused in dangerous situations where Tesla's technology may struggle to navigate the road safely. Tesla then released an over-the-air software update to restrict the use of Autopilot's Autosteer feature if a driver repeatedly fails to show they are ready to take control of the car while the feature is active.
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