Musk rival airs Super Bowl ad calling for ban on Tesla 'self-driving' feature

A California software mogul who has a long-running feud with Tesla Inc. and CEO Elon Musk over the automaker's self-described "Full Self-Driving" software took out a targeted ad during the Super Bowl on Sunday calling on regulators to shut down the driver-assist feature.

Dan O'Dowd, founder and CEO of Green Hills Software, alleges that Tesla's program of allowing vehicle owners to drive with a beta, or test version, of the FSD tech "is a major threat to public safety," according to a press release from O'Dowd's group, The Dawn Project.

The spot aired in certain geographic markets during the local ad feed.

"The Dawn Project's ad will be broadcast during the game to millions of viewers, politicians and regulators in Washington, D.C., and state capitals including California, New York, Texas, Florida and Georgia," the release said. "The Super Bowl ad will be followed by a series of television and print ads calling for urgent action over the deployment of Tesla's dangerous Full Self-Driving software on public roads."

The Super Bowl ad is part of a multimillion-dollar campaign by The Dawn Project since early 2022, the group said.

O'Dowd, who describes himself as a self-made billionaire, ran unsuccessfully for a California U.S. Senate seat last year on the issue of banning Tesla's FSD test program.

Tesla doesn't have a press office and did not respond to an email request for comment, but Musk called O'Dowd "crazy" last year on Twitter and characterized Green Hills' software as "a pile of trash." Tesla also sent a cease-and-desist letter to O'Dowd last year, calling his anti-FSD ads "misinformation."

Green Hills Software is a supplier to Mobileye, which develops autonomous driving and driver-assist systems. Mobileye, a former Tesla supplier, had a falling out with the automaker in 2016.

Tesla describes its proprietary FSD software, which is sold as a $15,000 option or a $199 monthly subscription, as "an advanced driver-assistance system that assists your car with steering, accelerating and braking for other vehicles and pedestrians within its lane." Unlike other automaker systems, FSD is designed to be used on city streets.

O'Dowd has engaged with Musk and Tesla fans on Twitter, where Tesla owners often post videos on their drives using the FSD tech. Some videos purport to show FSD-enabled vehicles driving significant distances without much driver input while others show FSD unable to go more than a few blocks without making serious mistakes.

The Dawn Project's Super Bowl ad shows video clips of Tesla vehicles — allegedly using FSD software — making safety errors, such as failing to stop for a school bus with flashing lights and running over a mannequin meant to represent a child crossing the street.

Tesla warns on its website that despite its confusing name Full Self-Driving is only an assistance feature and that drivers are responsible for the operation of their vehicles at all times.

"The currently enabled features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous," Tesla said on its website. "As these self-driving features evolve, your car will be continuously upgraded through over-the-air software updates."