Tesla’s autonomous driving technology has always been in the spotlight, but now there are some serious concerns arising about safety. A recent viral video footage showed how a Tesla blows past a stopped school bus and hits kid-sized dummies in full self-driving tests. People are shocked by this shocking scene. The future of self-driving cars certainly seems promising, but the incident has created fear and uncertainty among people.
What Exactly Happened in the Test?
The Dawn Project conducted a Full Self-Driving (FSD) test in Austin, Texas. Tesla Takedown and Resist Austin also played a role in this test. A Tesla Model Y, with FSD enabled, crossed past a stopped school bus without stopping. The bus’s red flashing lights were on and the stop sign extended, but the car did not react. The car not only failed to stop but also hit kid-sized mannequins while they were crossing the street. This scene was set up exactly for dummies in full self-driving tests. People are calling it illegally blowing past a stopped school bus, the consequences of which could have been serious if there were real children instead of the child-sized mannequins.
Safety Standards and Legal Guidelines Ignored
When a school bus extends a stop sign, every vehicle is legally required to stop for a school bus. Coming to a full stop is a basic rule. Tesla is not able to detect the red light flashing and stop sign, which is hazardous in terms of safety issues. In this case, the driver assistance or self-driving software cannot be trusted easily. It is unacceptable to disregard the safety rules.
Role of the Dawn Project and Dan O’Dowd’s Mission
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) plays a very big role in governing these self-driving systems. Its founder, Dan O’Dowd, previously warned about Tesla’s full driving and how it would fail to yield around school buses. The Dawn Project’s goal is to tell the public how this technology can be dangerous. Yes, some people question their motives because they have their own automated driving technology business, but their tests have highlighted valid concerns.
Historical Issues with Tesla’s FSD System
Tesla Full Self-Driving tests have been controversial before. In April 2024, a Tesla Model S hit a pedestrian (motorcyclist) in FSD mode, resulting in the victim’s death. Injuries such as a fractured neck and a broken leg have also been reported in similar incidents. The performance of the Tesla system has been inconsistent, and users have had to be disengaged many times. All these events leave doubt about the reliability of self-driving technology.
Elon Musk’s Response and the Cybercab Delay
Elon Musk said on Twitter that Tesla is “being paranoid about safety,” and the launch date of Cybercab may shift. He said that the first Tesla that will drive itself from the factory end to the customer’s home will be ready by June 28. This Cybercab will be a new robotaxi that will kick off Tesla’s robotaxi service. Rivals like Waymo appear to be more mature and tested than such robotaxis. Musk also said that Tesla engineers are doing intensifying testing in real-world scenarios to improve FSD, and new software updates will include better obstacle detection and faster reaction times.
How Tesla’s FSD Technology Works
Tesla’s driving technology relies on multiple cameras and sensors. This setup detects the environment, but when kid-sized dummies were put through full self-driving tests, the system encountered flaws. FSD’s failure to stop or collision with objects clearly shows that improvements are still needed. These flaws need to be fixed to make self-driving cars safer. Tesla’s engineers are improving the response mechanism in the new update based on real-time sensor input.
National & Legal Oversight: NHTSA and Public Roads Safety
The National Highway Traffic Security Administration (NHTSA) plays a very critical role in the regulation of these self-driving systems. Such testing on the road without supervision would be risky. Vehicles like the new Tesla and Model Y must meet high safety standards. If such tests are not properly monitored, public safety could be at risk. NHTSA also started an investigation after this incident to determine whether Tesla’s FSD software violated any rules.
Public Backlash and Online Reaction
After this incident, Engadget also reported and creators like Mark Rober gave their opinion. People in online communities are very angry about Tesla’s FSD. Especially when it comes to buses and child crossing areas, then people’s reaction is even stronger. Tesla driving near kids is making people uncomfortable. The public has demanded that Tesla should add basic safety protocols to its self-driving technology and roll out any new updates only after NHTSA certification.
Final Thoughts: Should We Trust Self-Driving Yet?
The question of the day is—is Tesla’s autonomous driving technology still trustworthy? When incidents like FSD blowing past a stopped school bus and hitting kid-sized dummies occur, it’s hard to build trust. Until such flaws are fixed and regulatory approvals are received, the future of autonomous mobility will seem doubtful. Tesla has, however, announced that they plan to launch an improved version of FSD by August that will include driver override alerts and better stop sign recognition.
