--- title: "Passenger Disgusted When Tesla Robotaxi Gets Stuck on “Fart Mode”" description: "A Bay Area Tesla robotaxi couldn't stop farting, making for an extremely strange experience for the passenger." date: "2026-10-16" modified: "2026-10-16" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor.md" url: "https://futurism.com/advanced-transport/passenger-disgusted-tesla-robotaxi-fart-mode" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Tesla" --- # Passenger Disgusted When Tesla Robotaxi Gets Stuck on “Fart Mode” ![A photo of a Tesla robotaxi overlaid with wind emojis.]() *Shutterstock / Futurism* In 2018, Elon Musk's Tesla released a software update timed for the holidays that included a so-called "[emissions testing]()" mode allowing Model S, 3, and X owners to play a variety of flatulent noises with the push of a button. While the novelty of the prank feature has more than likely worn off for the vast majority of users, some Tesla employees continue to be haunted by it to this day. As the *San Francisco Standard*'s Zara Stone [experienced first hand](), her Bay Area Tesla robotaxi seemingly got stuck in the mode, erupting in gaseous sounds during her ride. An [Instagram video]() shows her bewildering encounter with far more flatulence than anybody could've bargained for. When Stone asked the human safety driver — who Tesla is required to have behind the wheel as the company's robotaxis are not licensed in California yet — why the car kept farting, he shrugged and replied "no idea." "That's crazy!" a baffled Stone can be heard saying, while stifling laughter. The driver said he was playing with the settings, only to lose control of the feature. "It’s the first time I’m experiencing this," he said. "Sorry." "Even the volume doesn’t control it," the driver added, laughing. The incident is particularly hilarious considering Tesla is trying to roll out a fully autonomous ride-hailing service in the country. Considering how controlling an eight-year-old prank feature is proving a little too challenging, it's anybody's guess what else could go wrong as the EV company lets software take the reins. We've already seen plenty of [reports of terrifying close calls, crashes, and shoddy service](). Most recently, Musk [admitted]() that the company's software — which relies entirely on cameras, and not LIDAR or radar sensors — struggled not to "run over pets" at night. **More on robotaxis:** [*Elon Musk Admits Why Tesla Robotaxis Can’t Be Trusted at Night*]() ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()