Tesla’s ‘Full Self-Driving’ promotional videos were faked – report

Electric vehicle specialist Tesla produced promotional videos fraudulently suggesting its ‘Full Self-Driving’ technology was more advanced than real-world testing had previously shown, according to a new report from The New York Times.

Citing interviews with 19 current and former employees, the newspaper claims the US-based manufacturer routinely made promises to customers and investors it knew it could not keep, and compromised safety to improve aesthetics and reduce costs.

“The video [referenced above, and first published in 2016] did not provide a full picture of how the car operated during the filming,” the article notes.

“The route taken by the car had been charted ahead of time by software that created a three-dimensional digital map, a feature unavailable to drivers using the commercial version of Autopilot.

“At one point during the filming of the video, the car [crashed into] a roadside barrier on Tesla property while using Autopilot and had to be repaired.”

The video in question is still available on Tesla’s website, and can be viewed by clicking here.

A spokesperson for Tesla Australia did not respond when approached by Drive for comment.

Last week the manufacturer launched a $50 sports whistle modelled on the silhouette of the Cybertruck (shown above), and some have speculated this may represent a thinly-veiled jab at the ‘whistleblowing’ sources who spoke to journalists for this story.

In 2020 Trevor Milton – the CEO and founder of electric vehicle start-up Nikola – was forced to resign after it was revealed his company had produced promotional material fraudulently suggesting vehicles were moving under their own power, when, if fact, they were rolling-chassis vehicles pushed down a hill.