Tesla FSD fails to stop for child-sized mannequin at school bus
Tesla's Full Self-Driving system reportedly failed to stop for a child-sized mannequin at a stopped school bus during testing by the Dawn Project, raising concerns about the safety of the system ahead of the planned robotaxi launch in Austin.
What happened
During independent testing, a Tesla Model Y equipped with Full Self-Driving (FSD) version 13.2.9 failed to stop for a mannequin approximately 1.2 meters tall that imitated a child crossing the road in front of a stopped school bus with flashing red lights and extended stop sign. The vehicle's system recognized the mannequin as a pedestrian but continued moving without reducing speed.
The test was conducted by engineer and Tesla critic Dan O'Dowd as part of the Dawn Project.
Reported impact
In 2023, a similar Model Y struck a school student in North Carolina, resulting in a broken neck and leg, with investigation suspecting active Autopilot or FSD at the time of the incident.
Index analysis
Tesla plans to launch a fleet of robotaxis in Austin in coming weeks using standard Model Y vehicles. Elon Musk has stated that the level of driver intervention in tests is minimal and the company will monitor the situation carefully.
Critics contend that FSD errors could cost lives and the tests show the software is far from fully reliable.
Governance controls
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated on May 8 that it wanted to gather additional information about Tesla's development of technologies for use in robotaxis and how Tesla plans to evaluate its vehicles and driving automation technologies for use on public roads.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.