Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD) has been a source of much controversy over the past year. We’ve seen countless videos of FSD cars acting wild on public roadways. Despite Tesla’s many reassurances, the fact is, Tesla’s Full Self Driving mode is full of surprises and dangerous erratic “decision making.” A new video trying to prove how safe the Tesla FSD ends up adding even more doubt to the unpredictable nature of the system when the Tesla Model 3 makes a sudden turn toward a passing cyclist. 

Safety video ruined by Tesla Full Self-Driving trying to hit a biker

A 17-second clip was recently posted on Twitter of a failed Tesla Safety video. According to MotorTrend, the video features YouTuber HyperChange taking Tesla enthusiast Omar Quazi for a “full self-driving” ride through San Francisco. 

Thankfully, no one was hurt in the Tesla’s errant violent streak. With that in mind, there is a certain amount of comedy involved in the whole thing. The two stars of the video are going on about how Tesla’s Full Self-Driving mode could make “thousands of people drive safer.” 

Before the passenger can even finish his thought, the Tesla Model 3 (which is driving itself) suddenly swerves toward a cyclist as they pass. The motion looked more like a dog having its attention seized by a squirrel instantly than a finely tuned sophisticated program and hardware. 

The juxtaposition of the scene is both humorous and jarring. The timing of the two Tesla fans singing the praises of FSD as soon as it tries to kill someone feels like a scene from a lazy comedy. 

FSD may be the butt of jokes but its no laughing matter

@WholeMarsBlog “… and now with a software update, you can actually make thousands of people drive safer”@Gfilche fuuuuck! are we gonna have to cut that?

🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡#FSDBeta $TSLA $TSLAQ pic.twitter.com/J8PMAud6aG

— Jeff Airplane (@omedyentral) February 8, 2022

However funny it may feel from a thousand miles away on our computer screens, these cars are out there, and the danger is real. Moments like this one can be “funny” because, thankfully, the driver was paying attention and saved the biker from being hit by the Tesla. But there are dozens of examples where the outcome wasn’t so harmless. 

While the 17-second drama made it to Twitter, the full video can is on YouTube. In the full video, Quazi claims, “We’re likely to have a ‘zero take over’ drive.” This, of course, isn’t true because the driver had to take over not to hit the biker. 

Tesla FSD can be impressive and still not be ready for the public

Aside from the major failure FSD had – to which someone in the video nervously laughed, saying, “F**K! Are we going to have to cut that?” – the Tesla Model 3 makes several mistakes throughout the video. MotorTrend points out a few instances where the Tesla Model 3 acts rogue. Around 10:15, the car does a half turn and slowly moves toward the sidewalk; around 12:30, it remains stopped after the light turns green, and later it drives in the bus lane. 

There are a lot of amazing moments in this nearly 30-minuet video. The technology Tesla developed is astounding. However good it can be, doesn’t make up for the fact that it only takes one swerve to kill someone or even multiple people. This is the larger point of all of the pushback Tesla has received. “Pretty good” just isn’t good enough when it comes to something as dangerous as driving.