The Dawn Project Urges Legislators To Ban Tesla Full Self-Driving Over Critical Safety Defects Published in New Report to Congress
Today, The Dawn Project shared a report of its findings with legislators and key regulators, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which has numerous open investigations into Tesla Full Self-Driving. The report comes amid Tesla's rollout of its 'Robotaxi' service in Austin, Texas, which has been plagued with safety critical errors such as the Robotaxis driving on the wrong side of the road, blocking intersections, and nearly colliding with other cars.
The Dawn Project recently held a live demonstration of its safety tests in Austin which proved that the latest publicly available version of Tesla Full Self-Driving will run down a child crossing the road while illegally blowing past a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing and stop sign extended.
The Dawn Project was recreating a tragic incident in North Carolina in which a child was run down by a self-driving Tesla as they exited a school bus. The self-driving Tesla had blown past the school bus's red flashing lights and stop sign before running down the child, who suffered a fractured neck and broken leg and was placed on a ventilator.
The Austin test was run eight times, and Full Self-Driving ran down the child mannequin while illegally blowing past the school bus on every single test. Tesla's Full Self-Driving software did not disengage or even alert the driver to the fact there had been a collision on any of the test runs.
The Dawn Project has catalogued thousands of safety critical errors committed by Tesla's Full Self-Driving software on public roads and constantly updates this database with new errors as they are identified. The Dawn Project also maintains a publicly accessible database of safety critical and other driving errors committed by Tesla's Robotaxis in Austin. NHTSA has reported 50 fatalities and 2,185 crashes involving Tesla's self-driving technology.
The Dawn Project's Report to Congress outlines the key findings from the group's safety tests and demands that legislators take immediate action to protect road users from Tesla Full Self-Driving by banning the software until Tesla conclusively proves it is safe.
Dan O'Dowd, Founder of The Dawn Project, commented: 'Self-driving software that illegally blows past stopped school buses and runs down children crossing the road must be banned immediately. It is only a matter of time before a child is killed while getting off a school bus because of Elon Musk and Tesla's utter negligence and contempt for public safety.'
'The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration must step up and ban Tesla Full Self-Driving from public roads to protect children, pedestrians, and other road users. It is disappointing that the federal regulator in charge of road safety has taken no action to hold Tesla accountable. NHTSA must do its job and ban Tesla's defective Full Self-Driving technology from public roads before more people are killed.'
'Legislators should protect their constituents from Tesla Full Self-Driving by calling for this dangerous and defective software to be banned immediately.'
A copy of The Dawn Project's annual report can be viewed here.CONTACT: Contact: info@dawnproject.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Elon Musk's SpaceX Paid Almost No Federal Income Tax Since 2002 Despite Billions In Government Contracts: Report
SpaceX, the space exploration company founded by Elon Musk, has reportedly paid minimal to no federal income taxes since its establishment in 2002, despite receiving billions in federal contracts. SpaceX Uses Net Loss Rule To Offset $5 Billion In Taxes SpaceX has been able to leverage a legal tax benefit to offset future taxable income using more than $5 billion in losses incurred by late 2021. This benefit, which was made indefinite for all companies by President Donald Trump in 2017, allows SpaceX to avoid paying tax on nearly $3 billion in future taxable income, according to The New York Times. SpaceX, which has a significant reliance on U.S. government contracts, has not paid federal income tax on its $5 billion in taxable income, a fact that tax experts find noteworthy. Trending: The same firms that backed Uber, Venmo and eBay are investing in this pre-IPO company disrupting a $1.8T market — Despite its financial success, SpaceX can continue to utilize the tax benefit. The company, valued at over $350 billion, has been investing heavily in its business, incurring losses from the start. The tax advantage, called a net operating loss carryforward, allows SpaceX to offset an equivalent amount of future taxable income and thereby avoid federal income taxes. SpaceX's tax strategy has drawn attention from tax experts, who note the significant benefit of not having to pay tax on $5 billion in taxable income. Danielle Brian, the executive director of the Project on Government Oversight, called this 'quaint' and stated that the tax benefit was 'clearly not intended for a company doing so well.' Federal Deals Make Up Over 75% of SpaceX's Earnings The documents reviewed by the publication provide the first insights into the extent of SpaceX's dependence on federal contracts. In 2020, these contracts generated about $1.4 billion, or 83.8% of the company's total revenue. The following year, federal contracts contributed 76% of the total revenue. SpaceX's revenue is expected to reach $15.5 billion this year, up from about $7.4 billion in 2023. The documents showed that SpaceX informed investors that Starlink had 2.5 million users in 2023 and generated roughly $8 billion in revenue last year, more than double the previous year's revenue and outpacing SpaceX's rocket division in both also show SpaceX paid some income taxes in recent years, including $483,000 to foreign governments and $78,000 in state tax in 2021, plus $6,000 in 2020–21 without specifying the jurisdiction, whether local, state or federal. The Wall Street Journal reported that the company generated $55 million in profit on $1.5 billion in revenue in the first quarter of 2023. Companies can simultaneously report profits to shareholders and tax losses to the I.R.S. in any given year due to differences in how certain items are treated. Musk Criticizes Trump Even As SpaceX Gains Benefits This news comes in the wake of Musk's recent criticism of President Trump's energy policies. In July, Musk slammed Trump for axing subsidies on renewable energy, stating that SpaceX won NASA contracts by doing a better job for less money. On the other hand, Trump has also made moves that have benefited SpaceX. In August, Trump eased space regulations, signing an executive order that could boost SpaceX's operations. This move came shortly after the Pentagon announced that Trump's $175 billion Golden Dome missile defense system would feature satellite and ground-based defenses, potentially impacting SpaceX's future contracts. Read Next: 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. You can invest today for just $0.30/share. These five entrepreneurs are worth $223 billion – they all believe in one platform that offers a 7-9% target yield with monthly dividends Image via Shutterstock Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? This article Elon Musk's SpaceX Paid Almost No Federal Income Tax Since 2002 Despite Billions In Government Contracts: Report originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Analysts Love This Robotaxi Stock. Should You Buy It Here?
Valued at a market cap of $5.6 billion, Pony AI (PONY) stock has almost tripled in the last four months. This comes as Pony AI is generating significant buzz among analysts as the autonomous mobility company accelerates its robotaxi ambitions. The China-based firm has emerged as a key player in the rapidly evolving self-driving vehicle market. What sets Pony AI apart is its PonyWorld platform, which generates over 10 billion kilometers of test data weekly. This massive data collection far exceeds human driving capabilities and enables continuous improvement of its virtual driver system, enhancing safety and reliability. More News from Barchart Is This Space Stock the Next Big Trillion-Dollar Opportunity? Citron Research Just Warned AGAIN on Palantir. How Should You Play PLTR Stock Here? As Apple Preps to Unveil AI Products, How Should You Play AAPL Stock? Our exclusive Barchart Brief newsletter is your FREE midday guide to what's moving stocks, sectors, and investor sentiment - delivered right when you need the info most. Subscribe today! Pony AI has also achieved breakthrough operational efficiency with an industry-leading remote assistant to vehicle ratio of 1:20, compared to 1:3 in the previous year. This improvement reduces operational costs through virtual technology that provides request-based assistance rather than direct control. Pony AI is betting big on its Gen-7 Robotaxi, which boasts a 70% reduction in costs compared to previous generations. Moreover, it aims to expand its fleet to 1,000 vehicles by the end of 2025, with mass production beginning in the second quarter. Strategic partnerships with tech giants Tencent (TCEHY) and Uber (UBER) are expanding the company's reach, integrating robotaxi services into popular platforms like Weixin and the Uber app. Is the Robotaxi Stock a Good Buy Right Now? Pony AI delivered impressive second-quarter results, showcasing its rapid commercialization progress, with total revenues surging 76% year-over-year to $21.5 million. The autonomous vehicle pioneer's robotaxi division led the charge with revenues more than doubling to $1.5 million, while fare-charging services experienced a 300% increase. Pony AI has successfully ramped production of its seventh-generation robotaxi, with over 200 vehicles rolling off assembly lines since June. This puts Pony AI firmly on track to exceed its ambitious target of 1,000-plus vehicles by year-end, marking a critical milestone in scaling operations. The company achieved an 18% reduction in vehicle insurance costs while advancing toward a 1:30 remote assistance ratio by year-end. These efficiency gains are crucial for achieving positive unit economics. Pony AI secured Shanghai's first fully driverless commercial license and expanded its international footprint with new operations in Dubai, Seoul, and Luxembourg. The company now operates across 2,000 square kilometers in China's Tier 1 cities. Registered users surged 136% year-over-year while maintaining customer satisfaction above 4.8 out of 5. With licensing revenues jumping nearly 902% to $10.4 million, Pony AI is diversifying its revenue streams while building toward sustainable profitability in its core robotaxi business. Is Pony AI Stock Undervalued? Analysts tracking Pony AI stock forecast sales to increase from $82.4 million in 2024 to $1.22 billion in 2029, indicating annual growth rate of 96%. While still unprofitable, the autonomous vehicle company is forecast to report adjusted earnings of $0.47 and a free cash flow of $214 million in 2029. If the tech stock is priced at 50 times forward free cash flow, which is not too expensive given its growth estimates, it could almost double over the next three years. Out of the six analysts covering Pony AI stock, five recommend 'Strong Buy' and one recommends 'Hold.' The average Pony AI stock price target is $21.50, 38% above the current trading price. On the date of publication, Aditya Raghunath did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Insider
3 hours ago
- Business Insider
Africa's richest country pushes rule review that would ease Elon Musk's Starlink entry
South Africa is reviewing policies that could allow Elon Musk's Starlink and other satellite internet providers to operate in the country without giving up ownership stakes, the telecoms minister said. South Africa is reconsidering its Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policies related to foreign satellite internet providers. The proposed changes suggest allowing equity-equivalent programs instead of mandatory 30% Black ownership. SpaceX supports these reforms, which might facilitate its operations in the country without ceding ownership. Opposition voices criticise the potential policy shift, alleging favouritism towards wealthy foreign interests. The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies is considering 19,000 public submissions on proposed changes to the Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) rules. The review would assess whether tech firms could meet the requirements through equity-equivalent programs rather than the current 30% Black ownership threshold, according to Bloomberg. 'We are prioritizing it, you cannot sit on submissions. Once done, and based on the sentiment, we can make a submission to Icasa to make the final decision,' Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi said, referring to the regulatory Independent Communications Authority of South Africa. No Starlink in Africa's biggest economy Despite being operational in over 17 African countries, including neighbouring nations like Namibia, Mozambique, and Botswana, South Africa, the continent's largest economy, is not on the Starlink network. Elon Musk has rejected demands to give up equity to meet Black-ownership rules designed to address apartheid-era inequalities, calling the laws 'openly racist.' SpaceX, in its submission to the government, has backed the proposed amendments. Under the new changes, telecoms companies could meet empowerment requirements by investing in infrastructure, digital inclusion, or research projects that benefit disadvantaged communities, rather than ceding ownership. The plan has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups, who accuse the government of rewriting laws to favour a wealthy foreign billionaire.
