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Popular YouTuber Mark Rober faced backlash for supposedly showing Tesla vehicles getting “tricked” during an experiment.
Former NASA Engineer and YouTuber Mark Rober is under-fire for supposedly “bashing” Tesla vehicles. The YouTuber uploaded a video titled ‘Can You Fool A Self Driving Car?‘ during which he used two vehicles to test their safety features. He tried to get the vehicle to stop using Tesla’s autopilot feature in front of a fake wall. The wall was painted as a road to test if the vehicle stops. However, the vehicle bashed through the wall.
Additionally, the YouTuber also tested another vehicle equipped with Luminar’s LiDAR technology, which passed his evaluation. Several netizens called out the YouTuber for not using Tesla’s FSD (Full Self-Driving) technology.
“Mark Rober posted a video ripping @Tesla’s FSD/AutoPilot technology. The problem? FSD was never engaged, and nothing was on when he crashed into the wall. The whole video was designed to bash Tesla and promote Luminar, a LiDAR company.”
Mark Rober posted a video ripping @Tesla’s FSD/AutoPilot technology.
— CHRIS FIRST (@chrisfirsttt) March 16, 2025
The problem?
FSD was never engaged, and nothing was on when he crashed into the wall.
The whole video was designed to bash Tesla and promote Luminar, a LiDAR company.
pic.twitter.com/WbEdKt5nIi
Several netizens believe that Tesla’s Autopilot feature functions only as an “advanced cruise control” in the vehicles. While it does not provide full control to the car’s software, the FSD (Full Self-Driving) feature allows the software to completely control the vehicle. Mark named his evaluation the “cartoon physics test,” as it featured a painted wall similar to the one seen in the Road Runner cartoon.
Luminar’s prominent branding throughout the video also raised questions among viewers regarding the video’s intent. Users pointed out that Mark thanked the LiDAR company in the video’s description, and Luminar’s website prominently featured his video as well.
A user on X, claimed that the video was a paid sponsorship with Luminar and called it a “disingenuous smear campaign.”
“This video was a paid sponsorship by Luminar, who he thanked in the description and their site advertises his video. This video appears to be a disingenuous smear campaign.”
Tesla Autopilot was disabled before impact in the @MarkRober LiDAR vs Vision Only video. This video was a paid sponsorship by Luminar, who he thanked in the description and their site advertises his video. This video appears to be a disingenuous smear campaign. pic.twitter.com/lmvexvGfuj
— Innovating (@InnovatingCoin) March 16, 2025
Mark Rober Posts “Raw Footage” of the Tesla Crash
Rober posted an 18-second video, which he claimed was raw footage of the crash. The YouTuber stated that Autopilot disengaged just seconds before hitting the wall. Notably, several critics pointed out that Mark activated the feature while being less than 10 feet from the wall.
The Elon Musk-owned company has mentioned on its website that the Autopilot feature is only an assistance system. The feature can disengage if the driver moves the steering wheel, which several netizens pointed out once again. In his X post, Mark appears to move his steering wheel, which disengages Autopilot.
The post was also community-noted, stating that the YouTuber allegedly attempted multiple takes, despite the video implying only one.
Here is the raw footage of my Tesla going through the wall. Not sure why it disengages 17 frames before hitting the wall but my feet weren’t touching the brake or gas. pic.twitter.com/ddmeyqO3ww
— Mark Rober (@MarkRober) March 17, 2025
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