Following a video showing one of its vehicles striking little dolls, Tesla has sent its CEO a cease-and-desist letter. Elon Musk appears to be a figure whom people either love or loathe. Dan O’Dowd, a founder of the Dawn Project and CEO of Green Hills Software, is one of those firmly in the “latter” camp. O’Dowd has been running a public campaign criticizing Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software as risky.
The most recent attack is a viral commercial that shows the cars crashing into kid-sized dolls while in FSD mode. The automaker retaliated with a cease-and-desist letter, to which O’Dowd responded by labeling Musk a “crybaby.”
The Dawn Project was established last year and is pushing for replacing software in crucial computer-controlled systems with unbreakable alternatives. It published a full-page ad earlier in 2022 attacking Tesla‘s FSD beta program and threw out a $10,000 reward for anyone who could name “another commercial product from a Fortune 500 business that suffers a significant defect every 8 minutes.”
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Earlier this month, The Dawn Project published a film titled “Test Track – The Dangers of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving Software” as part of its ongoing campaign. It purports to show a Tesla in FSD mode speeding over kid-sized dolls dressed in kid-sized clothes at 25 mph. O’Dowd urges Congress to ban FSD, calling it the worst self-driving software he has ever seen.
Tesla responded by taking legal action. On August 11, it sent O’Dowd a cease-and-desist letter requesting that the film, which it claims is defamatory and inaccurate, be taken down. Additionally, it demanded that O’Dowd give all of the video’s content to Tesla and make a public apology within 24 hours after receiving the letter.
In a lengthy blog post regarding the cease-and-desist letter, O’Dowd referred to Musk as “just another crybaby hiding behind his lawyer’s skirt.”
Master Scammer Musk threatens to sue me over a tv ad.
Turns out Mr Free Speech Absolutist is just another crybaby hiding behind his lawyer's skirt.
Guess I hurt his wittle feewings.
Now the coward @elonmusk lashes out, sending pawns to fight his fight.https://t.co/Sbawi2rmDI pic.twitter.com/VZ7cMQR4AO
— Dan O'Dowd (@RealDanODowd) August 25, 2022
Numerous individuals and publications have called attention to what appear to be problems in O’Dowd’s film; Electrek specifically identifies several apparent contradictions.
Real-time OS and safety software from Green Hills Software are utilized in BMW’s iX vehicles and those from other automakers. Green Hills Software also creates operating systems and programming tools for embedded devices. The business is also developing its software for autonomous vehicles.
Musk tweeted a response to O’Dowd’s blog that included the word “crazy,” an emoji of a bat, and a poop.
Lmfao @RealDanODowd just went full Greenspan pic.twitter.com/7SYdwrXYew
— Whole Mars Catalog (@WholeMarsBlog) August 25, 2022
Last month, the California Department of Motor Vehicles complained about Tesla’s promises about self-driving cars and autopilot, claiming that the firm had made “misleading or inaccurate” claims in online marketing for its driver assistance systems.
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