After Tests Purport To Show Self-Driving Teslas Failing To Stop For Children, Defenders On Twitter Seek Real Children To Put In Front Of The Cars

Like automobiles caught in a car crash caused by a computer being unable to successfully navigate through unpredictable drivers on a highway, negative stories about Tesla's self-driving cars continue to pile up on social media.

The cars have a lengthy history of safety issues related to their autopilot feature, and a recent test making the rounds online has purportedly discovered perhaps the most alarming safety issue yet — the cars appear to have a problem stopping for children.

A viral video posted by Twitter user Taylor Ogan shows a Tesla running on autopilot running over a child-sized mannequin. The Guardian confirmed that the test, run by the Dawn Project, found that Teslas did so repeatedly.

"Over 100,000 Tesla drivers are already using the car’s Full Self-Driving mode on public roads, putting children at great risk in communities across the country," Dawn Project Founder Dan O'Dowd said.

The test heightened safety concerns surrounding Tesla's Full Self-Driving feature, which has been found to reportedly cause more accidents than any other cars that use a similar system combined.

Though some found the test disturbing, others that some have called Tesla fanboys were seemingly unperturbed, believing that the conclusions drawn from the test were faulty. They argued that, as the "children" in the test were not made of flesh and blood but rather of cardboard and stuffing, the test did not prove if a Tesla would stop in front of an actual child.

Taylor Ogan also previously posted a video of other cars with self-driving technology stopping for the fake child in similar tests. Tesla purportedly failed in that test as well.

Child vs. Waymo</a> driverless robotaxi<br>Child vs. <a href="https://twitter.com/luminartech?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">luminartech Proactive Safety – LiDARChild vs. @Tesla pic.twitter.com/bavICWx5p7

— Taylor Ogan (@TaylorOgan) July 20, 2022

While many Tesla fans didn't take the video at face value, believing Ogan's investment in the similar self-driving technology LiDAR gave them an agenda to push, one particular Twitter user was ready to risk it all to prove Teslas would stop for an actual child. User @WholeMarsBlog tweeted a call for someone to volunteer their child to get in front of his Full Self-Driving Tesla.

Is there anyone in the Bay Area with a child who can run in front of my car on Full Self-Driving Beta to make a point? I promise I won't run them over… (will disengage if needed) (this is a serious request)

— Whole Mars Catalog (@WholeMarsBlog) August 9, 2022

Though the account owner promised they wouldn't "run them over," many were not keen on giving their child to a stranger in the interest of proving that Teslas won't actually hit children (whether or not they were just trolling or making a genuine request).

my I promise I won't run over a child tshirt is raising a lot of questions already answered by my shirt https://t.co/rEaUPsiKgU

— 🌿 stick 🌿 (@briggityboppity) August 10, 2022

pic.twitter.com/8SOatZFypp

— James Lloyd (@jamesplloyd) August 10, 2022

Firstly if the obstacle just needs to move idk why they aren't trying this with a squishmallow duct taped to a skateboard before a real human child, secondly I feel like this whole conversation is overlooking that people don't want their cars to run into stationary objects either https://t.co/lCHZjB0r3Z

— Jenny Nicholson (@JennyENicholson) August 10, 2022

Incredibly, WholeMarsBlog reported that they had found a volunteer, but the volunteer needed his wife's approval, which many imagined would be a fascinating conversation.

somewhere a san francisco divorce lawyer is about to have a very exciting day pic.twitter.com/8A8eHdApN0

— Sam Biddle (@samfbiddle) August 10, 2022

best of luck with that last part pic.twitter.com/wzEEEOJifi

— arithmetic mean joe greene (@Pliny_theElder) August 10, 2022

At the time of writing, the results of @WholeMarsBlog's experiment of risking a child's life in defense of Elon Musk's car company have yet to be seen, but here's hoping it goes well.