senior engineer testified that Tesla faked a 2016 video promoting its self-driving technology, according to testimony by a senior engineer reviewed by Reuters. In the video, a Model S sedan drives itself down a highway autonomously. However, the engineer testified that the car was actually driven by someone in the simulator.
The video, which shows a Tesla Model X driving on urban, suburban and highway streets; stopping itself at a red light; and accelerating at a green light is still on Tesla’s website. The tagline accompanying the video is “The person in the driver’s seat is only there for legal reasons. He is not doing anything. The car is driving itself.” Some people are skeptical of this claim, because they believe that if the car can drive itself then someone must be behind the wheel controlling it. Others feel that this demonstration of autonomous technology just shows how much progress Tesla has made in recent years and how their cars are increasingly becoming autonomous vehicles.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been adamant that Tesla “drives itself” using its many sensors and self-driving software. However, a recent video has surfaced that seems to suggest this was not the case – the video appears to have been staged using 3D mapping on a predetermined route, a feature which is not currently available to consumers. This revelation casts doubt on Musk’s assertion and raises more questions about Tesla’s ability to truly self-drive.
According to Elluswamy, Tesla’s Autopilot team was specifically instructed to create a demonstration of the system’s capabilities in order for Musk to show it off to potential investors. However, this demonstration resulted in the death of Walter Huang.
Anonymous former employees told the New York Times in 2021 that they were concerned about safety at Tesla, with some saying they had increased concerns after the company acquired self-driving software from Google. While there appears to have been no legal ramifications for Tesla following the NYT’s investigation, an on-the-record testimony from a current employee could cause trouble for the automaker as it seeks to dismiss pending lawsuits and investigations around its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) systems.
The scandal at electric truck maker Nikola was not unexpected, as the company had been accused offake videos in the past. In October, Chairman and founder Trevor Milton was found guilty of securities fraud charges after a federal investigation into Nikola revealed that they had placed their fuel cell–powered prototype on a small hill, allowing gravity to do its thing rather than using the motors. This deception caused investors to lose millions of dollars. However, despite this scandal, Nikola still stands as one of the most promising electric truck companies on the market.
Tesla’s fake video was created as part of a marketing campaign to deceive potential customers. During test runs, the car crashed into a fence in Tesla’s parking lot and failed to park itself.
The CEO of Elluswamy Technologies, who created a video demonstrating the capabilities of the company’s artificial intelligence platform in 2016, has admitted that the video was not entirely accurate. The platform is able to create realistic 3D models, textures, and audio that is able to emulate specific environments.
Justin Johnson, a Tesla owner in Austin, Texas, tested Musk’s claims by letting the car drive itself through city streets. “It just went down the street without me touching it,” Johnson told NPR. “At one point it even stopped at a red light and let me out.”
Musk proudly promoted this video on Twitter as an example of how Tesla vehicles require no human input to drive. While this test was successful in Austin, there is still room for improvement when it comes to automated driving in complex urban environments.
Shortly after TechGround’s request for comment, Tesla disbanded its press office. This came as a surprise to some pundits and onlookers given Musk’s outspoken nature on social media. Nevertheless, without a preexisting outlet to report on the company, it is difficult to judge the true state of Tesla’s operations.
The revelation that Tesla was secretly using a secret automatic braking technology raises serious questions about the safety of the company’s Autopilot system. The use of a undisclosed automated braking technology could lead to more accidents and fatalities, as drivers may not be aware of the technology’s presence when it is activated.
After Huang’s Tesla crashed in 2018, the NTSB found that his “ineffective monitoring of driver engagement” had contributed to the crash. The board said that Huang’s distraction and the limitations of Tesla’s system were likely factors in the crash.
Most Tesla drivers know better than to dabble with the car’s autonomous driving features, even though the company encourages them. But some clever drivers have found ways to fool the car into thinking they’re paying attention by using objects or body movements to simulate human hands on the wheel. Some even buy fake weights online that can be attached to a steering wheel in order to make it seem as if someone is really controlling the vehicle. While these tricks may seem like fun for a few minutes, ultimately they could get you into trouble if you’re not paying attention while driving.
Since Tesla’s FSD software is open to customers across North America, the company has been able to quickly address any issues that have arisen. Furthermore, this flexible software has allowed Tesla to quickly extend access to its features and benefits to new customers. In light of these positive developments, it seems likely that Tesla will continue providing an innovative and reliable service in the future.
