In case you missed it on Sunday, an ad broadcast during the Super Bowl attacked Tesla‘s Full Self-Driving technology as dangerous and deadly.
The 30-second spot depicts brutal scenes of self-driving Teslas running over child mannequins and baby strollers, driving on the wrong side of the road, and blowing past “Do Not Enter” signs.
The national advertising campaign, which cost $600,000 to air during the Super Bowl, is sponsored by The Dawn Project, a California-based nonprofit that supports the development of computer operating systems that are “safe for humanity.”
The organization has been particularly critical of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving feature, claiming the software poses a threat to passengers and pedestrians.
“Tesla Full Self-Driving will run down a child in a school crosswalk,” a female narrator says in the ad, as a video shows what it claims to be actual “safety test footage” of a Tesla crashing into a child mannequin in the street.
Related: Engineer: Tesla Self-Driving Demo Video Was Staged
Later in the ad, a Tesla plows into another child mannequin taking its head off.
“Tesla’s Full Self-Driving is endangering the public with deceptive marketing and woefully inept engineering,” the narrator says. Why does NHTSA allow Tesla Full Self-Driving?”
Who’s behind the attack ad?
The Dawn Project was founded by Dan O’Dowd, a billionaire credited with creating the operating systems for projects including Boeing’s 787s, Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Fighter Jets, the Boeing B1-B Intercontinental Nuclear Bomber, and NASA’s Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle.
Dowd is also CEO of Green Hills Software, which develops self-driving software.
The foundation’s website shows numerous videos of self-driving Teslas malfunctioning in different road tests. In one video, O’Dowd accuses Tesla founder Elon Musk of running a Ponzi scheme.
What does Elon Musk think of the ad?
Musk seems to be taking it in stride despite the ad’s harsh accusations. During the Super Bowl, cameras caught Musk kicking back in a private box seat with the CEO of News Corporation, Rupert Murdoch.
The company has not directly addressed The Dawn Project, but in response to a tweet by Tesla Owners Silicon Valley that called the ad “fake,” Musk responded with a LOL emoji.
Thank you @RealDanODowd for spending $7M for this $tsla advertisement. It’s very clear that you testing was fake but grateful for spreading the word that Teslas are the leader for general autonomy. @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/Qk7MvJn4c4
— Tesla Owners Silicon Valley (@teslaownersSV) February 12, 2023
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The world of advertising is filled with shocking visuals to captivate consumer’s attention; however, a recent Super Bowl ad by Tesla Motors has pushed boundaries beyond acceptable limits.
The car company produced a commercial highlighting the safety of their autonomous vehicles; however, viewers were appalled when the ad showed a self-driving Tesla decapitating a mannequin and running over baby strollers. The ad was quickly pulled, but the prominent American television broadcast has created an abundance of criticism, causing an internal investigation regarding Tesla’s choice of visuals.
Tesla Motors CEO, Elon Musk, took to social media to explain that the ad was only intended to demonstrate the safety features of their cars rather than to shock viewers; however, the company has since apologized for the ad, stating that it was in poor taste.
Tesla Motors has been a leader in the electric vehicle industry since its founding in 2003 and has since pushed boundaries for autonomous vehicles. Their recent ad, however, has received a wide range of negative reactions from both everyday consumers and respected investors.
The Super Bowl advertisement serves as a reminder of the importance of marketing tactics in the digital age; consumer reactions can directly impact a company’s success. Going forward, Tesla Motors must be more mindful of the implications of their ads and ensure they stay true to their values.
