Super Bowl Ad Shows Self-Driving Tesla Decapitating a Mannequin and Running Over Baby Strollers The spot was sponsored by The Dawn Project, which is highly critical of Tesla's Full Self-Driving software.

By Jonathan Small

In case you missed it on Sunday, an ad broadcast during the Super Bowl attacked Tesla's Full Self-Driving technology as dangerous and deadly.

The 30-second spot depicts brutal scenes of self-driving Teslas running over child mannequins and baby strollers, driving on the wrong side of the road, and blowing past "Do Not Enter" signs.

The national advertising campaign, which cost $600,000 to air during the Super Bowl, is sponsored by The Dawn Project, a California-based nonprofit that supports the development of computer operating systems that are "safe for humanity."

The organization has been particularly critical of Tesla's Full Self-Driving feature, claiming the software poses a threat to passengers and pedestrians.

"Tesla Full Self-Driving will run down a child in a school crosswalk," a female narrator says in the ad, as a video shows what it claims to be actual "safety test footage" of a Tesla crashing into a child mannequin in the street.

Related: Engineer: Tesla Self-Driving Demo Video Was Staged

Later in the ad, a Tesla plows into another child mannequin taking its head off.

"Tesla's Full Self-Driving is endangering the public with deceptive marketing and woefully inept engineering," the narrator says. Why does NHTSA allow Tesla Full Self-Driving?"

Who's behind the attack ad?

The Dawn Project was founded by Dan O'Dowd, a billionaire credited with creating the operating systems for projects including Boeing's 787s, Lockheed Martin's F-35 Fighter Jets, the Boeing B1-B Intercontinental Nuclear Bomber, and NASA's Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle.

Dowd is also CEO of Green Hills Software, which develops self-driving software.

The foundation's website shows numerous videos of self-driving Teslas malfunctioning in different road tests. In one video, O'Dowd accuses Tesla founder Elon Musk of running a Ponzi scheme.

What does Elon Musk think of the ad?

Musk seems to be taking it in stride despite the ad's harsh accusations. During the Super Bowl, cameras caught Musk kicking back in a private box seat with the CEO of News Corporation, Rupert Murdoch.


The company has not directly addressed The Dawn Project, but in response to a tweet by Tesla Owners Silicon Valley that called the ad "fake," Musk responded with a LOL emoji.

Jonathan Small

Entrepreneur Staff

Founder, Strike Fire Productions

Jonathan Small is a bestselling author, journalist, producer, and podcast host. For 25 years, he has worked as a sought-after storyteller for top media companies such as The New York Times, Hearst, Entrepreneur, and Condé Nast. He has held executive roles at Glamour, Fitness, and Entrepreneur and regularly contributes to The New York Times, TV Guide, Cosmo, Details, Maxim, and Good Housekeeping. He is the former “Jake” advice columnist for Glamour magazine and the “Guy Guru” at Cosmo.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

Netflix Co-CEO Says the Company Used AI on a TV Show for the First Time: 'Completed 10 Times Faster'

Netflix chief Ted Sarandos says audiences were "thrilled" with the AI-generated footage.

Starting a Business

How These 2 Stanford Students Turned a College Project Into a WNBA Partnership

Amanda Calabrese and Greta Meyer turned a college project into Sequel, the first spiral tampon, now backed by a WNBA partnership with the Indiana Fever.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Leadership

The Surprising Strategy Smart Leaders Use to Outpace Disruption

In a world where AI is reshaping industries overnight, agility is a leader's greatest asset. The companies thriving aren't the fastest or the biggest, but the ones built to adapt.

Marketing

Why Emotional Branding is Out and Functional Loyalty Is In

Emotional branding is no longer enough. Today's consumers reward functionality, not just familiarity.

Leadership

Lead From the Top: 5 Core Responsibilities of a CEO

Knowing exactly what the chief executive's role entails is critical for steering a company to success.