Latest news with #Tesla-involved
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Disturbing Test Shows What Happens When Tesla Robotaxi Sees a Child Mannequin Pop Out From Behind a School Bus
After promising self-driving robotaxis for more than a decade, it's probably no surprise that Tesla CEO Elon Musk has blown way past his promised rollout date of June 12. Now scheduled to formally roll out on the streets in Austin, Texas on either June 22 or 28 — not even Musk seems to know at this point — the tech billionaire's self-driving charade is running seriously behind. As consumer interest in Tesla continues to plummet, one generational hater is showing just how far Musk's last ditch effort to save Tesla is really lagging. In a live demonstration on public roads in Austin, a recent media stunt showed that "self-driving" Tesla robotaxis make no qualms about running down children in cold blood. The demonstration, sponsored by the Dawn Project — a watchdog group founded by Musk's fellow billionaire and longtime Pentagon contractor Dan O'Dowd — showed what happens when a Tesla running on current-gen self-driving software comes up on a stopped school bus. Making no attempt to slow down, the Tesla model Y barrels past the bus and its blinking stop light. When a child mannequin darts across the road, the EV plows right through it, taking a full car's length to come to a complete stop. "What it shows is a full self-driving Tesla will not stop at a bus, and if a kid steps out, it will mow them down," O'Dowd told Futurism. Despite a two-year campaign by the Dawn Project to highlight the school bus issue — which included a full-page in the New York Times and a Superbowl commercial — O'Dowd says lawmakers, not to mention Tesla itself, have done nothing to fix the issue. Sadly, that inaction has already had real consequences. In North Carolina in 2023, for example, a student was struck while exiting a school bus by a self-driving Tesla, and had to be airlifted to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. "What's happened since? Tesla has not fixed the bug," O'Dowd said. "And still the government hasn't forced a recall." For O'Dowd and the Dawn Project, Tesla is unique among carmakers adding self-driving features to their vehicles. Asked about the Dawn Project's stance on Waymo — which has its own history of dangerous traffic maneuvers — O'Dowd says "Waymo gets the job done." "They actually can do ten million rides and not kill anybody," he notes. "Tesla can't do any self-driving and it's killed a lot of people. So that's my question, how many people have they killed? How many people have they injured?" (As a point of fact, Waymo has logged a total of 696 accidents since 2021, with one Waymo-involved fatality recorded so far. Teslas, for comparison, have notched well over 2,146 incidents, with 553 Tesla-involved fatalities.) While the writing might be on the wall for Tesla, O'Dowd continues to pour resources into raising awareness about the dangers Musk's vehicles pose to civilians, partnering with movements like the nationwide Tesla Takedown initiative. Despite the obvious, O'Dowd says it's not over 'til it's over. "I've never been willing to go out there and short Tesla," the billionaire told us. "It's too risky. The guy's too good at making up stories to convince people he can make a bunch of money." More on Tesla: Terrifying Footage Shows Self-Driving Tesla Get Confused by the Sun, Mow Down Innocent Grandmother
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tesla facilities across the country attacked in protest of Elon Musk
Graffiti on a Tesla dealership sign. Molotov cocktails thrown in another dealership's lot. Tesla charging stations set on fire. Across the country, the electric vehicle company's facilities and vehicles are being hit with protests and violence over Elon Musk's role in the Trump administration. A wave of anti-Tesla protests and attacks have occurred as Musk, Tesla's CEO, takes a leading role in President Trump's cost-cutting task force, the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. The agency has cut thousands of jobs since its inception in January. In recent days, there have been a number of peaceful "Tesla Takedown" protests across the U.S., but there have also been several violent incidents that led to arrests. Here's everything you need to know about the Tesla-related attacks happening across the country. Reports of Tesla-involved violence and vandalism Jan. 29 - Feb. 11: Police in northern Colorado arrested Lucy Grace Nelson after the 42-year-old allegedly caused between $5,000 and $20,000 in damage to a Tesla dealership starting on Jan. 29 and later returned several more times in February. According to police, Nelson vandalized the Tesla dealership by spray-painting "Nazi" under the dealership's entrance sign and started small fires on the lot by igniting molotov cocktails inside vodka bottles. Nelson was charged with malicious destruction of property and remains in custody. March 3: In Maryland, graffiti was found at a Tesla dealership a day after demonstrators gathered to protest Musk. The graffiti said "No Musk" with a sign that resembles a swastika. March 4: Police in Massachusetts reported seven Tesla charging stations that were intentionally set on fire. March 6: A 39-year-old man was accused of vandalizing several Tesla vehicles with stickers of Musk in the Boston suburb of Brookline, calling it "free speech." Harrison Grant Randall was charged with six counts of defacing property. A pre-trial hearing for Randall is scheduled for May, according to CBS News Boston. It's unclear if he has entered a plea. March 6: Police in Portland, Oregon, said that at least seven shots were fired at a Tesla dealership on Thursday, damaging three cars and shattering windows, according to CBS affiliate KOIN. March 7: At the same Tesla dealership allegedly vandalized by Nelson, northern Colorado police reported an arson at the Loveland Tesla dealership. March 8: Over 350 protesters gathered in New York City at a Tesla showroom in Manhattan as part of the nationwide "Tesla Takedown" protests. Six arrests were made, five for disorderly conduct and one for resisting arrest, obstructing government administration and a violation for a local law. Why are people protesting Tesla? After Mr. Trump was sworn into office in January, Musk took on a role leading Mr. Trump's cost-cutting task force, DOGE, which has cut over 62,000 federal jobs. More federal cuts are on the way, with the Veterans Affairs Department planning to cut thousands of jobs in the coming months. Musk also made inflammatory public statements in January, ahead of Holocaust Remembrance Day, when he told thousands at a far-right German political party that "children should not be guilty of the sins of their parents, let alone their great-grandparents." What has Musk said about the protests? Musk has not spoken out about the rise in protests overall, but in response to a video of a man vandalizing Teslas, posted by authorities in Massachusetts, Musk replied: "Damaging the property of others, aka vandalism, is not free speech!" Eye Opener: Russia rejects ceasefire deal U.S. Army soldiers accused of selling classified materials to China Canadians show their displeasure with President Trump
CBS News
09-03-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Molotov cocktails, arson and graffiti: Tesla facilities attacked in wake of Elon Musk's role in the White House
Graffiti on a Tesla dealership sign. Molotov cocktails thrown in another dealership's lot. Tesla charging stations set on fire. Across the country, the electric vehicle company's facilities and vehicles are being hit with protests and violence over Elon Musk's role in the Trump administration. A wave of anti-Tesla protests and attacks have occurred as Musk, Tesla's CEO, takes a leading role in President Trump's cost-cutting task force, the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. The agency has cut thousands of jobs since its inception in January. In recent days, there have been a number of peaceful "Tesla Takedown" protests across the U.S., but there have also been several violent incidents that led to arrests. Here's everything you need to know about the Tesla-related attacks happening across the country. Reports of Tesla-involved violence and vandalism Jan. 29 - Feb. 11: Police in northern Colorado arrested Lucy Grace Nelson after the 42-year-old allegedly caused between $5,000 and $20,000 in damage to a Tesla dealership starting on Jan. 29 and later returned several more times in February. According to police, Nelson vandalized the Tesla dealership by spray-painting "Nazi" under the dealership's entrance sign and started small fires on the lot by igniting molotov cocktails inside vodka bottles. Nelson was charged with malicious destruction of property and remains in custody. March 3: In Maryland, graffiti was found at a Tesla dealership a day after demonstrators gathered to protest Musk. The graffiti said "No Musk" with a sign that resembles a swastika. March 4: Police in Massachusetts reported seven Tesla charging stations that were intentionally set on fire. March 6: A 39-year-old man was accused of vandalizing several Tesla vehicles with stickers of Musk in the Boston suburb of Brookline, calling it "free speech." He was charged with six counts of defacing property. March 6: Police in Portland, Oregon, said that at least seven shots were fired at a Tesla dealership on Thursday, damaging three cars and shattering windows, according to CBS affiliate KOIN. March 7: At the same Tesla dealership allegedly vandalized by Nelson, northern Colorado police reported an arson at the Loveland Tesla dealership. March 8: Over 350 protesters gathered in New York City at a Tesla showroom in Manhattan as part of the nationwide "Tesla Takedown" protests. Six arrests were made, five for disorderly conduct and one for resisting arrest, obstructing government administration and a violation for a local law. BREAKING: HUNDREDS of New Yorkers have swarmed and shut down the Tesla dealer in Manhattan. Six have been arrested after occupying the showroom. Protests are erupting across America to reject Musk's billionaire regime. This is how we beat fascism. Mass direct action. — Planet Over Profit (@pop4climate) March 8, 2025 Why are people protesting Tesla? After Mr. Trump was sworn into office in January, Musk took on a role leading Mr. Trump's cost-cutting task force, DOGE, which has cut over 62,000 federal jobs. More federal cuts are on the way, with the Veterans Affairs Department planning to cut thousands of jobs in the coming months. Musk also made inflammatory public statements in January, ahead of Holocaust Remembrance Day, when he told thousands at a far-right German political party that "children should not be guilty of the sins of their parents, let alone their great-grandparents." What has Musk said about the protests? Musk has not spoken out about the rise in protests overall, but in response to a video of a man vandalizing Teslas, posted by authorities in Massachusetts, Musk replied: "Damaging the property of others, aka vandalism, is not free speech!"
